Montana § 18-1-404 Liability Of State -- Interest -- Costs

Montana Statutes

§ 18-1-404 — Liability Of State -- Interest -- Costs

Montana § 18-1-404

Title 18PUBLIC CONTRACTS

Ch. 1PUBLIC CONTRACTS GENERALLY

Part 4Contract Actions Against the State

This text of Montana § 18-1-404 (Liability Of State -- Interest -- Costs) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Montana primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

Mont. Code Ann. § 18-1-404 (2026).

Text

18-1-404 . Liability of state -- interest -- costs.

(1)(a) The state of Montana is liable in respect to any contract entered into in the same manner and to the same extent as a private individual under like circumstances, except the state of Montana is not liable for punitive damages.

(b)The state of Montana is liable for interest from the date on which the payment on the contract became due. This liability is retroactive, within the meaning of 1-2-109 , and applies to any contract in effect or an action pending on a contract on or after May 1, 1997. If the contract is subject to a good faith dispute brought before a government agency or before a court, the interest rate is 10% simple interest each year, whether due before or after a decision by the government agency or court. If the con

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

18-1-404 . Liability of state -- interest -- costs. (1) (a) The state of Montana is liable in respect to any contract entered into in the same manner and to the same extent as a private individual under like circumstances, except the state of Montana is not liable for punitive damages.
(b) The state of Montana is liable for interest from the date on which the payment on the contract became due. This liability is retroactive, within the meaning of 1-2-109 , and applies to any contract in effect or an action pending on a contract on or after May 1, 1997. If the contract is subject to a good faith dispute brought before a government agency or before a court, the interest rate is 10% simple interest each year, whether due before or after a decision by the government agency or court. If the contract does not specify when interest is payable before a decision, interest must be paid at the time provided in 17-8-242 (2). If the contract is not subject to a good faith dispute brought before a government agency or before a court, the interest rate is governed by 17-8-242 .
(2) Costs may be allowed as provided in 25-10-711 . In all other cases, costs must be allowed in all courts to the successful claimant to the same extent as if the state of Montana were a private litigant. The costs must include attorney fees. The liability for attorney fees is retroactive, within the meaning of 1-2-109 , and applies to any contract in effect or an action pending on a contract on or after May 1, 1997.
(3) This section does not apply to a contract governed by Title 19.

Legislative History

En. Sec. 4, Ch. 138, L. 1955; R.C.M. 1947, 83-604; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 402, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 508, L. 1997; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 413, L. 1999; amd. Sec. 12, Ch. 181, L. 2001.