Areas We Serve in Western Montana
One office in Missoula, and courts across five Montana judicial districts. Here is where we appear, and what to expect in each.
Written by
Misty Gaubatz, Partner, A&M Law
Licensed Montana attorney and co-founder of A&M Law. Over two decades in the practice of law focusing on family law, criminal defense, and DUI defense, with federal and state court experience and a Certificate in Mediation.
Western Montana is a large place with a small number of courthouses. A case filed in Polson and a case filed in Butte are governed by the same Montana statutes, but they move differently, in front of different judges, on different calendars, with different local practice. Knowing that difference is most of what “local counsel” actually means.
A&M Law works out of one office, on West Pine Street in Missoula, and appears across the counties below. Misty Gaubatz and Ashley Hurlbert are admitted at every level of the Montana court system and bring 24+ years of combined experience to criminal defense, family law, and personal injury matters.
Each county below has its own page with the local courts, the communities we cover, and how to reach us.
Counties We Practice In
Montana's district courts are organized into judicial districts by statute (MCA § 3-5-101). Below is where each county sits, and the communities we most often serve inside it.
Missoula & Missoula County
4th Judicial DistrictOur office is on West Pine Street in downtown Missoula, a few minutes from the courthouse. This is the county where we appear most often, across criminal, family, and injury matters.
- District covers:
- Missoula and Mineral counties
- Communities:
- Missoula, Lolo, Frenchtown, Bonner, Seeley Lake
Hamilton & Ravalli County
21st Judicial DistrictThe Bitterroot Valley is a short drive south of our office, and Ravalli County has its own district court, its own justice court, and its own way of moving a case along.
- District covers:
- Ravalli County
- Communities:
- Hamilton, Stevensville, Corvallis, Darby, Victor
Lake County & the Mission Valley
20th Judicial DistrictWe represent clients from Flathead Lake down through the Mission Valley, in the district court at Polson and in the area's justice and city courts.
- District covers:
- Lake and Sanders counties
- Communities:
- Polson, Ronan, Pablo, Charlo, St. Ignatius
Butte-Silver Bow
2nd Judicial DistrictButte-Silver Bow is a consolidated city-county with its own district court. We take criminal defense, DUI, family law, and injury matters there.
- District covers:
- Silver Bow County
- Communities:
- Butte, Walkerville, Rocker
Anaconda-Deer Lodge
3rd Judicial DistrictAnaconda-Deer Lodge is also a consolidated city-county, sitting in a three-county judicial district that we cover alongside our Butte work.
- District covers:
- Deer Lodge, Granite, and Powell counties
- Communities:
- Anaconda, Opportunity, Warm Springs
Cooperative Divorce, Valley-Wide
Cooperative Family Law is a process rather than a courtroom, so it is not bound to any one county. These pages describe how it works where you live.
Cooperative Divorce, Western Montana
Our Cooperative Family Law process is not tied to one courthouse. It is available to couples anywhere in Western Montana, and much of it can be handled without either of you driving to Missoula.
Cooperative Divorce, Bitterroot Valley
The same process, written for Bitterroot Valley families, from Lolo down through Hamilton and Darby.
Which Court Will My Case Be In?
It depends on what kind of case it is, not only on where you live. In broad terms:
- District court handles felonies, divorce and parenting plans, and civil claims above the justice court limit. This is the court named on each county page above.
- Justice and city courts handle most misdemeanors, traffic matters, and many first-offense DUI cases, which is where a criminal matter frequently begins.
- Montana Supreme Court hears appeals from district court. Montana has no intermediate appellate court, so an appeal goes straight there.
If you are not sure which court your paperwork is from, bring it to the consultation, or read it to us over the phone. It is usually the fastest question we answer all day.
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Areas We Serve
Areas We Serve, Frequently Asked Questions
Where is A&M Law's office?
Do I have to hire a lawyer in the county where my case is filed?
Which judicial district is my case in?
Do you take cases outside these counties?
Can we handle a case without meeting in person?
Wherever You Are in Western Montana
Call 406-830-3060 for a confidential consultation. Tell us which county your case is in and we'll tell you what happens next.