Demand Letter in Montana

A demand letter asks someone to pay or fix a problem before you go to small claims court. Many judges expect one, and it is useful evidence. Your state's small claims limit and fee are shown below.

What Montana law says

Small claims limit	$7,000, not counting costs, for money or specific personal property, and the defendant must be servable in the county where the case is filed. Last amended 2011 (Ch. 284). Counties that create a small claims court in district court follow the same justice-court small claims procedure (§ 3-12-107). Source: Mont. Code Ann. § 25-35-502
Filing fee	$20 for the plaintiff when the sworn complaint is filed; $10 for the defendant when appearing to contest the claim or filing a counterclaim. A party who cannot afford the fees may file a pauper's affidavit. Sheriff's service fees are separate. Fee waiver form: https://courts.mt.gov/external/forms/dissolution/FeeWaiver.pdf (linked from https://courts.mt.gov/Forms/). Source: Mont. Code Ann. §§ 25-35-608, 25-35-604

Small claims limit

$7,000, not counting costs, for money or specific personal property, and the defendant must be servable in the county where the case is filed.

Last amended 2011 (Ch. 284). Counties that create a small claims court in district court follow the same justice-court small claims procedure (§ 3-12-107).

Source: Mont. Code Ann. § 25-35-502

Filing fee

$20 for the plaintiff when the sworn complaint is filed; $10 for the defendant when appearing to contest the claim or filing a counterclaim. A party who cannot afford the fees may file a pauper's affidavit. Sheriff's service fees are separate.

Fee waiver form: https://courts.mt.gov/external/forms/dissolution/FeeWaiver.pdf (linked from https://courts.mt.gov/Forms/).

Source: Mont. Code Ann. §§ 25-35-608, 25-35-604

Fill it in

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[today's date]

To: [person or business name], [their address]

From: [your name], [your address]

This letter is a formal demand for $[amount demanded] for [what happened, with dates].

[Short list of facts and attached documents: contract, receipts, photos, messages.]

Please pay this amount by [payment deadline] by [payment method].

If I do not receive payment by then, I intend to file a claim in [court name] without further notice.

[your name] [phone or email]

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General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.