Montana § 85-5-204 Apportionment Of Fees And Expenses

Montana Statutes

§ 85-5-204 — Apportionment Of Fees And Expenses

Montana § 85-5-204

Title 85WATER USE

Ch. 5WATER COMMISSIONERS AND WATER MEDIATORS

Part 2Charges and Expenses

This text of Montana § 85-5-204 (Apportionment Of Fees And Expenses) 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. § 85-5-204 (2026).

Text

85-5-204 . Apportionment of fees and expenses.

(1)Upon the filing of the report by the water commissioner or water commissioners, the clerk of court shall notify by letter each person mentioned in the report:

(a)of the amount the water user is made liable for by the report;

(b)that objections to the report and the amount taxed against the water user may be made by any person interested in the report or the amount assessed against the water user within 20 days after the date of the mailing of the notice; and

(c)that, unless objections are filed, an order will be made by the judge of the district court finally fixing and determining the amount due from each of the water users.

(2)The affidavit of the clerk that the clerk has mailed a notice to each person mentioned in the report at the

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85-5-204 . Apportionment of fees and expenses. (1) Upon the filing of the report by the water commissioner or water commissioners, the clerk of court shall notify by letter each person mentioned in the report:
(a) of the amount the water user is made liable for by the report;
(b) that objections to the report and the amount taxed against the water user may be made by any person interested in the report or the amount assessed against the water user within 20 days after the date of the mailing of the notice; and
(c) that, unless objections are filed, an order will be made by the judge of the district court finally fixing and determining the amount due from each of the water users.
(2) The affidavit of the clerk that the clerk has mailed a notice to each person mentioned in the report at the person's last-known post-office address, in the usual manner, must be considered prima facie evidence that the person received the notice provided for in this section.
(3) At the discretion of the district judge, the water commissioner may issue a bill prior to the beginning of a distribution season for the purpose of offsetting costs associated with distributing water and water commissioner duties by submitting the information necessary for the billing to the clerk of the district court. The bill for each water user may not exceed 80% of the amount that was provided to the district court pursuant to 85-5-107 for the prior distribution season.
(4) If the cost of distributing water during a distribution season is less than the amount that was collected through a bill issued prior to a distribution season, the water commissioner shall refund the money to the water user based on the amount of water that the water user received during the distribution season. The water commissioner shall submit a refund report, along with proof that any refunds were issued, to the clerk of district court for filing.

Legislative History

En. Sec. 12, Ch. 43, L. 1911; re-en. Sec. 7147, R.C.M. 1921; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 11, L. 1923; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 45, L. 1927; re-en. Sec. 7147, R.C.M. 1935; R.C.M. 1947, 89-1012; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 513, L. 2007.