Federal Rules of Civil Procedue

The Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (“Fed. R. Civ. P.”) are the rules that all parties are expected to use during the life of the case and in preparation for and during a trial in Federal Court.  You can view the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.

Local Rules for the United States District Court District of Montana

Each District in the federal system also maintains Local Rules that augment or refine the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.  Generally speaking, you need to follow the rule that permits, requires, or otherwise authorizes you to file a motion or other document with the court.  The rules also cover the types of information you may request from the other party, scheduling orders and pre-trial court appearances and hearings, and many other aspects of trial practice.

The Local Rules of Practice of the United States District Court for the District of Montana may be obtained from at the following link, or upon request from the clerk’s office customer service staff.

Federal Rules of Evidence

The Federal Rules of Evidence (“Fed. R. Evid.”) are the rules that describe the allowability and proper use of witness testimony, documents, and other evidence in a civil trial.  You can view a copy of the Federal Rules of Evidence.  As you build your case, you will need to verify that you will be permitted to present the evidence on which you are relying to the court.  Not everything that was said during the course of a dispute that gives rise to a civil action is admissible in court.  Documents that cannot be authenticated may not be admissible.  It is therefore important to closely review the Fed. R. Evid. and ensure that your evidence will be permitted by the court.