It's tempting to treat a misdemeanor as no big deal: pay the fine, take the plea, move on. That instinct is exactly how people end up with a permanent criminal record they didn't need. A misdemeanor is still a crime, and a conviction can follow you onto every background check for jobs, apartments, and professional licenses. With the right defense, many of these cases can be reduced, dismissed, or resolved without a conviction at all.

What a Misdemeanor Means in Montana

Under MCA § 45-2-101, a misdemeanor is any offense punishable by up to one year in county jail and/or a fine; anything carrying more than a year is a felony. While the ceiling is lower than a felony's, a misdemeanor conviction is real and permanent unless steps are taken to keep it off your record.

Where Misdemeanor Cases Are Heard

Montana misdemeanors are handled in Justice Courts, City Courts, and Municipal Courts. These courts have their own rhythms, judges, and prosecutors, and local knowledge matters. Misty Gaubatz is admitted in all of them and regularly appears before them across Western Montana.

Common Misdemeanor Charges

Protecting Your Record

Montana often allows a deferred imposition of sentencein misdemeanor cases, meaning that if you complete the court's conditions, the charge can be dismissed and, in time, removed from public record. Diversion and other negotiated resolutions can also keep a conviction off your record. We fight for these outcomes whenever they fit, so a single mistake doesn't define your future.

How A&M Law Defends Misdemeanors

We treat misdemeanors with the seriousness they deserve: examining the evidence and the stop, challenging weak proof, and steering toward outcomes that protect your record. Often that means a dismissal, a reduction, or a deferred sentence rather than a conviction, and it almost always means a better result than facing the system alone.