The bill revises the award of attorney fees in civil lawsuits, specifically focusing on ensuring that certain awards are reasonable. It establishes detailed requirements for attorney fee award requests, which include providing specific descriptions of tasks performed, billing time in tenths of an hour, and itemizing expenses. The bill also introduces a rebuttable presumption against certain practices, such as sending multiple attorneys to depositions or charging for certain costs like telephone calls and electronic research subscriptions. Additionally, it stipulates that when awarding attorney fees against the state, courts must consider the hourly rate charged by the state's attorney and provide justification if a higher rate is granted.

Furthermore, the bill amends Section 25-10-711 of the Montana Code Annotated to ensure that the award of costs against governmental entities is also reasonable and aligns with the new requirements established in the bill. It clarifies that the provisions do not apply to claims for attorney fees under $10,000 and specifies that the act applies to civil lawsuits pending on or after its effective date. Overall, the bill aims to create a more structured and fair approach to awarding attorney fees in civil litigation involving the state.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 25-10-711
SB0039_1(1): 25-10-711
SB0039_1(10): 25-10-711
SB0039_1(2): 25-10-711
SB0039_1(3): 25-10-711
SB0039_1(4): 25-10-711
SB0039_1(5): 25-10-711
SB0039_1(6): 25-10-711
SB0039_1(7): 25-10-711
SB0039_1(8): 25-10-711
SB0039_1(9): 25-10-711
SB0039_1: 25-10-711
SB0039_2(1): 25-10-711
SB0039_2(10): 25-10-711
SB0039_2(11): 25-10-711
SB0039_2(12): 25-10-711
SB0039_2(13): 25-10-711
SB0039_2(2): 25-10-711
SB0039_2(3): 25-10-711
SB0039_2(4): 25-10-711
SB0039_2(5): 25-10-711
SB0039_2(6): 25-10-711
SB0039_2(7): 25-10-711
SB0039_2(8): 25-10-711
SB0039_2(9): 25-10-711
SB0039_2: 25-10-711
SB0039_3(1): 25-10-711
SB0039_3(2): 25-10-711
SB0039_3(3): 25-10-711
SB0039_3(4): 25-10-711
SB0039_3(5): 25-10-711
SB0039_3: 25-10-711
SB0039_4(1): 25-10-711
SB0039_4(10): 25-10-711
SB0039_4(11): 25-10-711
SB0039_4(12): 25-10-711
SB0039_4(13): 25-10-711
SB0039_4(2): 25-10-711
SB0039_4(3): 25-10-711
SB0039_4(4): 25-10-711
SB0039_4(5): 25-10-711
SB0039_4(6): 25-10-711
SB0039_4(7): 25-10-711
SB0039_4(8): 25-10-711
SB0039_4(9): 25-10-711
SB0039_4: 25-10-711
SB0039_X(1): 25-10-711
SB0039_X(2): 25-10-711
SB0039_X: 25-10-711