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Small Claims Court Limits in Montana

In Montana, small claims court in justice's court hears claims up to $7,000, and a party may use a lawyer only if all parties are represented by one.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

Montana at a glance

Maximum claim
$7,000
Excludes costs; the defendant must be servable within the county.
Lawyers allowed
Only if all parties have one
A party may not be represented by an attorney unless all parties are.

Sources

Last checked

The rules in Montana

What is the small claims court limit in Montana?

Maximum claim in Montana: $7,000. Excludes costs; the defendant must be servable within the county.

Can you bring a lawyer to small claims court in Montana?

Only if all parties have one. Lawyers allowed in Montana: only if all parties have one. A party may not be represented by an attorney unless all parties are.

Where do the Montana small claims court limits come from?

The rules above come from Mont. Code Ann. 25-35-502 and Mont. Code Ann. 25-35-505. Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

What this means in practice

Before filing, send the other side a written demand that states what is owed, why, and a deadline to pay. A clear demand letter sometimes settles the dispute without court, and some courts ask whether you tried to resolve the matter first.

Bring organized evidence to the hearing: contracts, receipts, invoices, photos, text messages and any written promise to pay. Prepare a short timeline of what happened. Judges in small claims court decide cases quickly, so a clear, document backed explanation helps.

Winning a judgment does not mean you are paid automatically. If the other side does not pay voluntarily, you may need to use collection tools such as wage garnishment, a bank levy or a lien, and each of those has its own forms, fees and rules.

General information, not legal advice. Laws change, and cities can add their own rules, so check the current statute before you rely on it.