Montana Code Annotated
Part 2. Support, Custody, Visitation, and Related Provisions
40-4-201. Separation agreement

40-4-201. Separation agreement. (1) To promote amicable settlement of disputes between parties to a marriage attendant upon their separation or the dissolution of their marriage, the parties may enter into a written separation agreement containing provisions for disposition of any property owned by either of them, maintenance of either of them, and support, parenting, and parental contact with their children. In cases in which children are involved, the separation agreement may contain a parenting plan as required in 40-4-234.
(2) Subject to subsection (7), in a proceeding for dissolution of marriage or for legal separation, the terms of the separation agreement, except those providing for the support, parenting, and parental contact with children, are binding upon the court unless it finds, after considering the economic circumstances of the parties and any other relevant evidence produced by the parties, on their own motion or on request of the court, that the separation agreement is unconscionable.
(3) If the court finds the separation agreement unconscionable, it may request that the parties submit a revised separation agreement or it may make orders for the disposition of property, maintenance, and support.
(4) If the court finds that the separation agreement is not unconscionable as to disposition of property or maintenance and not unsatisfactory as to support:
(a) unless the separation agreement provides to the contrary, its terms must be set forth in the decree of dissolution or legal separation and the parties ordered to perform them; or
(b) if the separation agreement provides that its terms may not be set forth in the decree, the decree must identify the separation agreement and state that the court has found the terms not unconscionable.
(5) Terms of the agreement set forth in the decree are enforceable by all remedies available for enforcement of a judgment, including contempt, and are enforceable as contract terms.
(6) Except as provided in subsection (7) and except for terms concerning the support, parenting, or parental contact with the children, the decree may expressly preclude or limit modification of terms set forth in the decree if provided for in the separation agreement. Otherwise, terms of a separation agreement set forth in the decree are automatically modified by modification of the decree.
(7) The decree may be modified, as provided in 40-4-251 through 40-4-258, for failure to disclose assets and liabilities.
(8) The court shall seal any qualified domestic relations order, as defined in section 414(p) of the Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C. 414(p), that is issued under this part except for access by the pension plan administrator of the plan for which benefits are being distributed by the order, the child support enforcement division, the parties, and each party's counsel of record.
History: En. 48-320 by Sec. 20, Ch. 536, L. 1975; R.C.M. 1947, 48-320; amd. Sec. 9, Ch. 326, L. 1997; amd. Sec. 11, Ch. 343, L. 1997; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 88, L. 2013.

Structure Montana Code Annotated

Montana Code Annotated

Title 40. Family Law

Chapter 4. Termination of Marriage, Child Custody, Support

Part 2. Support, Custody, Visitation, and Related Provisions

40-4-201. Separation agreement

40-4-202. Division of property

40-4-203. Maintenance

40-4-204. Child support -- orders to address health insurance -- withholding of child support

40-4-205. Guardian ad litem

40-4-206. Payment of maintenance or support to court -- handling fee of clerk

40-4-207. Assignments

40-4-208. Modification and termination of provisions for maintenance, support, and property disposition

40-4-209. Security or guaranty to secure support

40-4-210. Child support jurisdiction -- nonresident individual

40-4-211. Jurisdiction -- commencement of parenting proceedings

40-4-212. Best interest of child

40-4-213. Interim parenting plan

40-4-214. Interviews

40-4-215. Investigations and reports

40-4-216. Hearings

40-4-217. Notice of intent to move

40-4-218. Judicial supervision

40-4-219. Amendment of parenting plan -- mediation

40-4-220. Affidavit practice

40-4-221. Determination of child's care upon death of parent

40-4-222. Repealed

40-4-223. Repealed

40-4-224. Repealed

40-4-225. Access to records by parent

40-4-226. Court-sanctioned educational program on effects of dissolution of marriage on children

40-4-227. Rights of parents and children -- policy -- findings

40-4-228. Parenting and visitation matters between natural parent and third party

40-4-229. through 40-4-232 reserved

40-4-233. Final parenting plan -- purpose and objectives

40-4-234. Final parenting plan criteria

40-4-235. through 40-4-250 reserved

40-4-251. Definitions

40-4-252. Preliminary declaration of disclosure -- penalty

40-4-253. Final declaration of disclosure -- failure to disclose current income and expense declaration -- penalty

40-4-254. Execution and service of final declaration of disclosure and current income and expense declaration

40-4-255. Noncomplying disclosure declarations -- requests to comply -- remedies

40-4-256. Liquidation -- transfer of marital estate assets to avoid encumbrance, devaluation, or market or investment risk -- authority of court

40-4-257. Default judgments -- disclosures

40-4-258. Disclosures -- attorney work product privilege -- protective orders -- Montana Rules of Civil Procedure