Legal Updates & Resources
Find a resource or provider pertinent to the Flathead Reservation, Western Montana, or your specific situation to help with legal questions and needs. Can't find what you are looking for or not certain what you need? Reach out and we'll help you seek the appropriate resource.
Montana Parenting Plan Resources
Check here for current MT-specific guidelines and resources regarding the development and enactment of Parenting Plans, and always check in with your applicable tribal or county court for more information!
Create a Parenting Plan Online
Keeping your parenting plan process out of court or needing somewhere to begin? While your applicable court will typically have printable templates, you may find it easy to use the electronic version that is widely accepted by Montana courts of law.
MT Parenting Plan 101
Especially if using the e-form (see "Creating a Parenting Plan Online") but for any parent attempting to understand the development of a parenting plan, this gives details about the required information you'll need for a plan as well as a brief overview of the process.
Deciding on Parenting Time
Deciding on who is parenting at what times can be one of the greatest conflicts in creating a parenting plan. This resource gives simple MT-specific background information and a resource for a law group that may be useful for further consultation.
What Factors Are Considered in Determining Parenting Time in Montana?
Understanding Best Interests
Court systems and attorneys generally focus on (and should always seek) to make the best interests of the child or children the main priority of any custody case or parenting plan. After all, this process should always be about caring for and investing in our children -- even if the parents are no longer together. Use this attorney-ready resource to help you understand different factors considered as part of your child's best interest.
Parenting Rights Updates
Find applicable state and federal updates here, and don't hesitate to seek additional resources and legal counsel as needed.
Overview of Father's Legal Rights
Establishing not only paternity but also your presence and interest in your child's life and wellbeing are crucial. Legally, there are protections to prohibit favoring either parent based on gender, but in society at large, women or mothers are seen as the primary nurturing figure. At Fathers for Justice, we are seeking to combat that sometimes prejudiced perception not only by providing legal support and advocacy but by helping men become the fathers they can and ought to be to raise their children. Start by understanding a few legal basics about paternal custody.
Family Law Updates in the USA
Understanding Child Support
Chances are, if you are involved in a custody case, you have some questions about child support: how much, who pays, and under what circumstances? These Montana-specific resources will help answer basic questions.
Legal Resources
Please note that Fathers for Justice is not qualified to provide legal counsel as an organization but that our team and available volunteer legal advocates will seek to guide you in an appropriate direction for the support you need.
On a by-case basis, our team may provide reports or expert witness to the court following the completion of services such as an FFJ parenting course(s) and subsequent parent mentoring.
Mediation Options
A mediator can serve as a "buffer" to keep conversation civil and on-track for finding the best solutions with your co-parent or other parenting party. Professional mediation may be a beneficial step in resolving parenting plan or custody case conflicts outside court -- which can help avoid legal fees and family stress that affect not only you but the children you want to show up for as the best possible parent you can be.
- Missoula Mediation Services: https://www.cdrcmissoula.org/
- Montana Mediation Association: https://www.mtmediation.org/family-mediators
- Contact your county courthouse or the supervising court of your custody case to ask for additional local mediation options!
Attorney Search
If your custody case is going to court or is already in court, we know the struggle. Whether it is time to find an attorney or simply find out if you need an attorney, here are some resources to assist as you seek to maintain (or build) your stable presence in your child's life.
- Fathers Helping Fathers -- includes legal term glossary and FAQs in addition to a by-state lawyer search tool
- MT Lawyer Locator -- extensive listings of MT law practices, including attorneys who offer free consultations
Self-Help Court Resources
Montana provides various locations and options for gaining knowledge and non-legal advice about navigating the court system and your custody case with awareness and respect -- and the documents you need.
- Before even seeking an attorney (or while you're trying to communicate with one!), you can build your knowledge base with resources such as MT Court Help Connections.
- Also: Missoula Self-Help Law Center (Missoula County Courthouse): (406) 258-3428 OR missoulaselfhelp@gmail.com
- Digging for those papers you KNOW you have somewhere? You may be able to access copies of your MT court case documents through the
Montana Public Access Portal.
- Still not finding what you need? While they cannot offer you any legal advisement, the Clerk of Court at your local or supervising courthouse may become your new best friend.
- You can request document copies from the issuing courthouse (usually for a small fee), or locate document names, numbers, and issue dates.
- You can also request self-help or other legal resources, including listings of local attorneys.
This Month's Good Listens...
Advocating for Dads: Why We Never Give Up
- Founder of the UK's similarly-named counterpart organization to ours, Matt O'Connor speaks with an attorney with long-term experiences in family court cases in Britain, discussing the discrepancy between the view of fathers and mothers in a court system when it comes to custody -- and how they are combatting it.
- Marvin Charles gives testimony in D.C. about his battle to become the father he wanted to be -- and to help other men become their children's heroes too -- and all while government officials listen.
