Montana Code 46-21-102. When petition may be filed
46-21-102. When petition may be filed. (1) Except as provided in subsection (2), a petition for the relief referred to in 46-21-101 may be filed at any time within 1 year of the date that the conviction becomes final. A conviction becomes final for purposes of this chapter:
Terms Used In Montana Code 46-21-102
- Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
- Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
- Conviction: means a judgment or sentence entered upon a guilty or nolo contendere plea or upon a verdict or finding of guilty rendered by a legally constituted jury or by a court of competent jurisdiction authorized to try the case without a jury. See Montana Code 46-1-202
- Court: means a place where justice is judicially administered and includes the judge of the court. See Montana Code 46-1-202
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- United States: includes the District of Columbia and the territories. See Montana Code 1-1-201
(a)when the time for appeal to the Montana supreme court expires;
(b)if an appeal is taken to the Montana supreme court, when the time for petitioning the United States supreme court for review expires; or
(c)if review is sought in the United States supreme court, on the date that that court issues its final order in the case.
(2)A claim that alleges the existence of newly discovered evidence that, if proved and viewed in light of the evidence as a whole would establish that the petitioner did not engage in the criminal conduct for which the petitioner was convicted, may be raised in a petition filed within 1 year of the date on which the conviction becomes final or the date on which the petitioner discovers, or reasonably should have discovered, the existence of the evidence, whichever is later.