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173 46-18-201 77 46-18-202 154 46-18-203 10 46-18-204 4 46-18-205 3 46-18-206 11 46-18-207 10 46-18-208 1 46-18-211 46-18-212 1 46-18-213 3 46-18-219 1 46-18-220 21 46-18-221 32 46-18-222 5 46-18-223 46-18-224 16 46-18-225 46-18-226 46-18-227 46-18-228 46-18-230 33 46-18-231 42 46-18-232 1 46-18-233 5 46-18-234 2 46-18-235 24 46-18-236 3 46-18-237 46-18-240 51 46-18-241 30 46-18-242 59 46-18-243 27 46-18-244 2 46-18-245 21 46-18-246 5 46-18-247 1 46-18-248 8 46-18-249 2 46-18-250 3 46-18-251 7 46-18-255 1 46-18-256 46-18-261

Mont. Code Ann. § 46-18-247

Default

(1) If an offender sentenced to make restitution is in default, the sentencing court, upon the motion of the prosecuting attorney or upon its own motion, may issue an order under 46-18-203 requiring the offender to show cause why the offender should not be confined for failure to obey the sentence of the court. The court may order the offender to appear at a time, date, and place for a hearing or, if the offender fails to appear as ordered, issue a warrant for the offender's arrest. The order or warrant must be accompanied by written notice of the offender's right to a hearing as provided in 46-18-203.

(2) If the court finds that the offender's default was attributable to the offender's failure to make a good faith effort to obtain the necessary funds for payment of the ordered restitution, the court may take any action provided for in 46-18-203.

(3) An order to pay restitution constitutes a judgment rendered in favor of the state, and following a default in the payment of restitution or any installment of restitution, the sentencing court may order the restitution to be collected by any method authorized for the enforcement of other judgments.

Opinions construing this section

5 opinions
2025 MT 218 Sep 30, 2025 Reversed
State v. Powell
Majority by Katherine M Bidegaray · 4 to 1 with 1 concurring
mmunity service in lieu of restitution). When an offender “is in default,” the court may order a show cause hearing under § 46-18-203, MCA, as provided in § 46-18-247, MCA. Upon finding the default “was attributable to the offender’s failure to make a good faith effort to obtain the necessary funds for payment . . . , the cou
2024 MT 114 May 28, 2024 Reversed
State v. N. Puccinelli
Majority by Ingrid Gustafson · 5 to 0
make a good faith effort to make the restitution as ordered. ¶22 The State contrarily asserts a single violation is sufficient to support revocation, citing § 46-18-247(1), MCA, and asserting “[a] failure to pay restitution as ordered by the district court is sufficient grounds to revoke an offender’s sentence.” The State also a
2018 MT 9 Jan 16, 2018 Affirmed in part, reversed in part
K. Erickson v. State
Majority by Jim Rice · 5 to 0
yments of restitution . . . the sentencing court may order the restitution to be collected by any method authorized for the enforcement of other judgments.” Section 46-18-247(3), MCA. Likewise, restitution orders constitute a judgment in favor of the victims: “The total amount that a court orders to be paid to a victim may be treated as
2014 MT 96 Apr 15, 2014 Affirmed
State v. Ferre
Majority by Patricia Cotter · 5 to 0
not have “the power to void, nullify, or otherwise relieve an offender of a court-ordered restitution obligation.” Brown, ¶ 17. We further concluded that § 46-18-247(3), MCA, establishes that restitution orders are considered civil judgments, not criminal penalties. Additionally, we noted that § 46-18-241(1), MCA, requires an offe
2008 MT 115 Apr 9, 2008 Reversed
State v. James J. Brown
Majority by James C. Nelson · 5 to 0
5-265 still exist. First, the DOC contends that a court order to pay restitution is a civil judgment. The DOC points out that ever since its enactment in 1983, § 46-18-247(3), MCA, has provided that “[a]n order to pay restitution constitutes a judgment rendered in favor of the state, and following a default in 5 the payment of res
Official Annotations archive.org, 2025 edition
History:
En. Sec. 7, Ch. 426, L. 1983
Amd. Sec. 19, Ch. 125, L. 1995
Amd. Sec. 5, Ch. 181, L. 1997