Montana Code Annotated 2023

TITLE 85. WATER USE

CHAPTER 2. SURFACE WATER AND GROUND WATER

Part 1. General Provisions

Recovery Of Costs And Attorney Fees By Prevailing Party

85-2-125. Recovery of costs and attorney fees by prevailing party. (1) If a final decision of the department on an application for a permit or a change in appropriation right is appealed to district court, the district court may award the prevailing party reasonable costs and attorney fees.

(2) The party obtaining injunctive relief in an action to enforce a water right must be awarded reasonable costs and attorney fees. For the purposes of this section, "enforce a water right" means an action by a party with a water right to enjoin the use of water by a person that does not have a water right.

History: En. 89-8-100.1 by Sec. 11, Ch. 416, L. 1977; R.C.M. 1947, 89-8-100.1; amd. Sec. 5, Ch. 487, L. 1995; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 100, L. 2005; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 45, L. 2007; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 360, L. 2011.