Mont. R. Civ. P. 37

(a) Motion for an Order Compelling Discovery.

(1) In General. On notice to other parties and all affected persons, a party may move

for an order compelling discovery. The motion must include a certification that the

movant has in good faith conferred or attempted to confer with the person or party

failing to make discovery in an effort to obtain it without court action.

(2) Appropriate Court. A motion for an order to a party must be made in the court

where the action is pending. A motion for an order to a nonparty must be made in

the court where the discovery is or will be taken.

(3) Specific Motions.

(A) To Compel a Discovery Response. A party seeking discovery may move for

an order compelling an answer, designation, production, or inspection. This

motion may be made if:

(i) a deponent fails to answer a question asked under Rule 30 or 31;

(ii) a corporation or other entity fails to make a designation under Rule

30(b)(6) or 31(a)(4);

(iii) a party fails to answer an interrogatory submitted under Rule 33; or

(iv) a party fails to respond that inspection will be permitted -- or fails to

permit inspection -- as requested under Rule 34.

(B) Related to a Deposition. When taking an oral deposition, the party asking a

question may complete or adjourn the examination before moving for an order.

(4) Evasive or Incomplete Answer or Response. For purposes of this subdivision

(a), an evasive or incomplete answer or response must be treated as a failure to answer

or respond.

(5) Payment of Expenses; Protective Orders.

(A) If the Motion is Granted or Disclosure or Discovery is Provided After Filing.

If the motion is granted -- or if the requested discovery is provided after the

motion was filed -- the court must, after giving an opportunity to be heard,

require the party or deponent whose conduct necessitated the motion, the party

or attorney advising that conduct, or both to pay the movant’s reasonable

expenses incurred in making the motion, including attorney fees. But the court

must not order this payment if:

(i) the movant filed the motion before attempting in good faith to obtain

the discovery without court action;

(ii) the opposing party’s response or objection was substantially justified;

or

(iii) other circumstances make an award of expenses unjust.

(B) If the Motion is Denied. If the motion is denied, the court may issue any

protective order authorized under Rule 26(c) and must, after giving an

opportunity to be heard, require the movant, the attorney filing the motion, or

both to pay the party or deponent who opposed the moti on its reasonable

expenses incurred in opposing the motion, including attorney fees. But the court

must not order this payment if the motion was substantially justified or other

circumstances make an award of expenses unjust.

(C) If the Motion is Granted in Part and Denied in Part. If the motion is granted

in part and denied in part, the court may issue any protective order authorized

under Rule 26(c) and may, after giving an opportunity to be heard, apportion the

reasonable expenses for the motion.

(b) Failure to Comply With a Court Order.

(1) Sanctions in the District Where the Deposition is Taken. If the court where the

discovery is taken orders a deponent to be sworn or to answer a question and the

deponent fails to obey, the failure may be treated as contempt of court.

(2) Sanctions by the Court Where the Action is Pending.

(A) For not Obeying a Discovery Order. If a party or a party’s officer, director,

or managing agent -- or a witness designated under Rule 30(b)(6) or 31(a)(4) --

fails to obey an order to provide or permit discovery, including an order under

Rule 26(f), 35, or 37(a), the court where the action is pending may issue further

just orders. They may include the following:

(i) directing that the matters embraced in the order or other designated facts

be taken as established for purposes of the action, as the prevailing party

claims;

(ii) prohibiting the disobedient party from supporting or opposing

designated claims or defenses, or from introducing designated matters in

evidence;

(iii) striking pleadings in whole or in part;

(iv) staying further proceedings until the order is obeyed;

(v) dismissing the action or proceeding in whole or in part;

(vi) rendering a default judgment against the disobedient party; or

(vii) treating as contempt of court the failure to obey any order except an

order to submit to a physical or mental examination.

(B) For not Producing a Person for Examination. If a party fails to comply with

an order under Rule 35(a) requiring it to produce another person for examination,

the court may issue any of the orders listed in Rule 37(b)(2)(A)(i)-(vi), unless

the disobedient party shows that it cannot produce the other person.

(C) Payment of Expenses. Instead of or in addition to the orders above, the court

must order the disobedient party, the attorney advising that party, or both to pay

the reasonable expenses, including attorney fees, caused by the failure, unless

the failure was substantially justified or other circumstances make an award of

expenses unjust.

(c) Failure to Disclose, to Supplement an Earlier Response, or to Admit.

(1) Failure to Disclose or Supplement. If a party fails to provide information

requested in accordance with these rules or fails to disclose information regarding

opinions of a witness as required by Rule 26(b)(4), the party is not allowed to use that

information or witness to supply evidence on a motion, at a hearing, or at a trial,

unless the failure was substantially justified or is harmless. In addition to or instead

of this sanction, the court, on motion and after giving an opportunity to be heard:

(A) may order the payment of the reasonable expenses, including attorney fees,

caused by the failure;

(B) may inform the jury of the party’s failure; and

(C) may impose other appropriate sanctions, including any of the orders listed

in Rule 37(b)(2)(A)(i)-(vi).

(2) Failure to Admit. If a party fails to admit what is requested under Rule 36 and

if the requesting party later proves a document to be genuine or the matter true, the

requesting party may move that the party who failed to admit pay the reasonable

expenses, including attorney fees, incurred in making that proof. The court must so

order unless:

(A) the request was held objectionable under Rule 36(a);

(B) the admission sought was of no substantial importance;

(C) the party failing to admit had a reasonable ground to believe that it might

prevail on the matter; or

(D) there was other good reason for the failure to admit.

(d) Party’s Failure to Attend Its Own Deposition, Serve Answers to Interrogatories,

or Respond to a Request for Inspection.

(1) In General.

(A) Motion; Grounds for Sanctions. The court where the action is pending may,

on motion, order sanctions if:

(i) a party or a party’s officer, director, or managing agent – or a person

designated under Rule 30(b)(6) or 31(a)(4) -- fails, after being served with

proper notice, to appear for that person’s deposition; or

(ii) a party, after being properly served with interrogatories under Rule 33

or a request for inspection under Rule 34, fails to serve its answers,

objections, or written response.

(B) Certification. A motion for sanctions for failing to answer or respond must

include a certification that the movant has in good faith conferred or attempted

to confer with the party failing to act in an effort to obtain the answer or response

without court action.

(2) Unacceptable Excuse for Failing to Act. A failure described in Rule

37(d)(1)(A) is not excused on the ground that the discovery sought was objectionable,

unless the party failing to act has a pending motion for a protective order under Rule

26(c).

(3) Types of Sanctions. Sanctions may include any of the orders listed in Rule

37(b)(2)(A)(i)-(vi). Instead of or in addition to these sanctions, the court must require

the party failing to act, the attorney advising that party, or both to pay the reasonable

expenses, including attorney fees, caused by the failure, unless that failure was

substantially justified or other circumstances make an award of expenses unjust.

(e) Failure to Provide Electronically-Stored Information. Absent exceptional

circumstances, a court may not impose sanctions under these rules on a party for failing to

provide electronically- stored information lost as a result of the routine, good-faith

operation of an electronic information system.

(f) Failure to Participate in the Framing of a Discovery Plan. If a party or its attorney

fails to participate in good faith in the framing of a discovery plan by agreement as is

required by Rule 26(f), the court may, after opportunity for hearing, require that party or

attorney to pay to any other party the reasonable expenses, including attorney fees, caused

by the failure.