{"data":{"id":"us-mt/70-30-202","jurisdiction":"us-mt","citation":"70-30-202","heading":"Jurisdiction and venue -- complaint and summons required.","body":"All proceedings under this chapter must be brought in the district court of the county in which the property or some part of the property is situated. A proceeding must be commenced by filing a complaint and issuing a summons. A summons served under this chapter must contain a notice to the condemnee to file and serve an answer. Within 6 months from the date that the summons is served, unless the court shortens or lengthens that time for good cause, the court, sitting without a jury, shall commence a trial on the issue of whether a preliminary condemnation order should be issued.","path":["TITLE 70. PROPERTY","CHAPTER 30. EMINENT DOMAIN","Part 2. Preliminary Procedure"],"source_url":"https://mca.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0700/chapter_0300/part_0020/section_0020/0700-0300-0020-0020.html","current_through":"Montana Code Annotated 2025","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T04:58:47Z","sha256":"aa609bd07a293d701e87033c8ffbfc7a5b73fa2f1f398c6c3582e426fcb59e27","source_id":"us-mt","stale":false,"prev":"us-mt/70-30-201","next":"us-mt/70-30-203"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}