Terms Used In Montana Code > Title 61 > Chapter 12 - Miscellaneous Provisions

• Agent: means a person who solicits the purchase of service contracts or transmits for another a service contract or application for a service contract to or from the company or who acts or aids in any manner in the delivery or negotiation of any service contract or of the renewal or continuance of a service contract. See Montana Code 61-12-301
• Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
• Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
• Attorney-in-fact: A person who, acting as an agent, is given written authorization by another person to transact business for him (her) out of court.
• Authorized agent: means a person who has executed a written agreement with the department and is specifically authorized by the department to electronically access and update the department's motor vehicle titling, registration, or driver records, using an approved automated interface, for specific functions or purposes on behalf of a third party. See Montana Code 61-1-101
• Bail: Security given for the release of a criminal defendant or witness from legal custody (usually in the form of money) to secure his/her appearance on the day and time appointed.
• Business entity: means a corporation, association, partnership, limited liability partnership, limited liability company, or other legal entity recognized under state law. See Montana Code 61-1-101
• Buying and selling service: means any act or acts of a company whereby the holder of a service contract with the company is aided in any way in the purchase or sale of an automobile. See Montana Code 61-12-301
• Certificate of title: means the paper record issued by the department or by the appropriate agency of another jurisdiction that establishes a verifiable record of ownership between an identified person or persons and the motor vehicle specifically described in the record and that provides notice of a perfected security interest in the motor vehicle. See Montana Code 61-1-101
• Commissioner: means the commissioner of insurance of the state of Montana or the commissioner's assistants or deputies or other persons authorized to act for the commissioner. See Montana Code 61-12-301
• Company: means any person, firm, partnership, company, association, or corporation engaged in selling, furnishing, or procuring, either as principal or agent, for a consideration, motor club service. See Montana Code 61-12-301
• Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
• Continuance: Putting off of a hearing ot trial until a later time.
• Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
• Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
• Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
• Dealer: means a person that, for commission or profit, engages in whole or in part in the business of buying, selling, exchanging, or accepting on consignment new or used motor vehicles, trailers, semitrailers, pole trailers, travel trailers, motorboats, sailboats, snowmobiles, off-highway vehicles, or special mobile equipment that is not registered in the name of the person. See Montana Code 61-1-101
• Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
• department: means the department of transportation. See Montana Code 61-12-201
• Department: means the department of justice acting directly or through its duly authorized officers or agents. See Montana Code 61-1-101
• Discount service: means any act or acts by a company resulting in the giving of special discounts, rebates, or reductions of price on gasoline, oil, repairs, insurance, parts, accessories, or service for motor vehicles to holders of service contracts with the company. See Montana Code 61-12-301
• Driver: means a person who drives or is in actual physical control of a vehicle. See Montana Code 61-1-101
• Emergency road service: means any act or acts by a company consisting of the adjustment, repair, or replacement of the equipment, tires, or mechanical parts of any automobile so as to permit it to be operated under its own power. See Montana Code 61-12-301
• Event data recorder: has the meaning provided in 49 C. See Montana Code 61-12-1001
• 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.
• Financial service: means any act or acts by a company whereby loans or other advances of money, with or without security, are made to holders of service contracts with the company. See Montana Code 61-12-301
• Gross vehicle weight: means the weight of a vehicle without load plus the weight of any load on the vehicle. See Montana Code 61-1-101
• Highway patrol officer: means a state officer authorized to direct or regulate traffic or to make arrests for violations of traffic regulations. See Montana Code 61-1-101
• housetrailer: has the meaning provided in 15-24-201. See Montana Code 61-1-101
• Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
• Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). ^{Source: OCC}
• Legal service: means any act or acts by a company consisting of the hiring, retaining, engaging, or appointing of an attorney or other person to give professional advice to or represent holders of service contracts with the company in court as the result of liability incurred by the right of action accruing to the holder of a service contract as a result of the ownership, operation, use, or maintenance of a motor vehicle. See Montana Code 61-12-301
• Liabilities: The aggregate of all debts and other legal obligations of a particular person or legal entity.
• Light vehicle: means a motor vehicle commonly referred to as an automobile, van, sport utility vehicle, or truck having a manufacturer's rated capacity of 1 ton or less. See Montana Code 61-1-101
• Manufacturer: includes any person engaged in the manufacture of motor vehicles, trailers, semitrailers, pole trailers, travel trailers, motorboats, sailboats, snowmobiles, or off-highway vehicles as a regular business. See Montana Code 61-1-101
• Map service: means any act or acts by a company by which road maps are furnished without cost to holders of service contracts with the company. See Montana Code 61-12-301
• Motor carrier: means a person or corporation or its lessees, trustees, or receivers appointed by a court that are operating motor vehicles on a public highway in this state for the transportation of property for hire on a commercial basis. See Montana Code 61-1-101
• Motor club service: means the rendering, furnishing, or procuring of towing service, emergency road service, insurance service, bail bond service, legal service, discount service, financial service, buying and selling service, theft service, map service, and touring service, or any three or more enumerated services to any person or persons in connection with the ownership, operation, use, or maintenance of a motor vehicle by the other person or persons in consideration of the other person or persons being or becoming a member or members of any company rendering, procuring, or furnishing the services, being or becoming in any manner affiliated with the company, or being or becoming entitled to receive membership or other motor club service from the company by virtue of any agreement or understanding with the company. See Montana Code 61-12-301
• Motor vehicle: means :

  (i)a vehicle propelled by its own power and designed or used to transport persons or property on the highways of the state;

  (ii)a quadricycle if it is equipped for use on the highways as prescribed in chapter 9; or

  (iii)a golf cart only if it is equipped for use on the highways as prescribed in chapter 9 and is operated pursuant to 61-8-391 or by a person with a low-speed restricted driver's license. See Montana Code 61-1-101

• Motor-driven cycle: means a motorcycle, including a motor scooter, with a motor that produces 5 horsepower or less. See Montana Code 61-1-101
• Motorcycle: means a motor vehicle that has a seat or saddle for the use of the operator and that is designated to travel on not more than three wheels in contact with the ground. See Montana Code 61-1-101
• Oath: A promise to tell the truth.
• Oath: includes an affirmation or declaration. See Montana Code 1-1-201
• Off-highway vehicle: means a self-propelled vehicle designed for recreation or cross-country travel on public lands, trails, easements, lakes, rivers, or streams. See Montana Code 61-1-101
• Operator: means a person who is in actual physical control of a motor vehicle. See Montana Code 61-1-101
• Owner: means a person:

  (a)in whose name a motor vehicle is registered or titled;

  (b)who leases a motor vehicle for at least 3 months;

  (c)who is entitled to possession of a motor vehicle as the purchaser under a security agreement; or

  (d)who is the attorney-in-fact, conservator, or personal representative for a person described in subsections (2)(a) through (2)(c). See Montana Code 61-12-1001

• Owner: means each person who holds the legal title to a vehicle. See Montana Code 61-1-101
• Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
• Peace officer: has the meaning as defined in 46-1-202. See Montana Code 1-1-207
• person: means an individual, corporation, partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company, association, joint venture, state agency, local government unit, another state government, the United States, a political subdivision of this or another state, or any other legal or commercial entity. See Montana Code 61-1-101
• Presiding officer: A majority-party Senator who presides over the Senate and is charged with maintaining order and decorum, recognizing Members to speak, and interpreting the Senate's rules, practices and precedents.
• Process: means a writ or summons issued in the course of judicial proceedings. See Montana Code 1-1-202
• public highway: means the entire width between the boundary lines of every publicly maintained way when any part of the publicly maintained way is open to the use of the public for purposes of vehicular travel. See Montana Code 61-1-101
• Quadricycle: means a four-wheeled motor vehicle, designed for on-road or off-road use, having a seat or saddle on which the operator sits. See Montana Code 61-1-101
• Quorum: The number of legislators that must be present to do business.
• Revocation: means the termination by action of the department of a person's driver's license, privilege to drive a motor vehicle on the public highways, and privilege to apply for and be issued a driver's license for a period of time designated by law, during which the license or privilege may not be renewed, restored, or exercised. See Montana Code 61-1-101
• Sell: means to transfer ownership from one person to another person or from a dealer to another person for consideration. See Montana Code 61-1-101
• Service contract: means any agreement or understanding whereby any company for a consideration promises to render, furnish, or procure for any other person or persons, whether they be members of the company or otherwise, motor club service. See Montana Code 61-12-301
• Settlement: Parties to a lawsuit resolve their difference without having a trial. Settlements often involve the payment of compensation by one party in satisfaction of the other party's claims.
• Street: means the entire width between the boundary lines of every publicly maintained way when any part of the publicly maintained way is open to the use of the public for purposes of vehicular travel. See Montana Code 61-1-101
• subscription: includes the mark of a person who cannot write if the person's name is written near the mark by another person who also signs that person's own name as a witness. See Montana Code 1-1-203
• Suspension: means the temporary withdrawal by action of the department of a person's driver's license, privilege to drive a motor vehicle on the public highways, and privilege to apply for or be issued a driver's license for a period of time designated by law. See Montana Code 61-1-101
• Theft service: means any act or acts by a company the purpose of which is to locate, identify, or recover a motor vehicle owned or controlled by the holder of a service contract with the company that has been or may be stolen or to detect or apprehend the person guilty of the theft. See Montana Code 61-12-301
• Touring service: means any act or acts by a company by which touring information is furnished without cost to holders of service contracts with the company. See Montana Code 61-12-301
• Towing service: means any act or acts by a company consisting of the drafting or moving of a motor vehicle from one place to another under other than its own power. See Montana Code 61-12-301
• Traffic: means pedestrians, ridden or herded animals, vehicles, streetcars, and other conveyances either singly or together while using any highways for purposes of travel. See Montana Code 61-1-101
• Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
• Under the influence: has the meaning provided in 61-8-1001. See Montana Code 61-1-101
• United States: includes the District of Columbia and the territories. See Montana Code 1-1-201
• Usual: means according to usage. See Montana Code 1-1-206
• Vehicle: means a device in, on, or by which any person or property may be transported or drawn on a public highway, except devices moved by animal power or used exclusively on stationary rails or tracks. See Montana Code 61-1-101
• Vehicle identification number: means the number, letters, or combination of numbers and letters assigned by the manufacturer, by the department, or in accordance with the laws of another state or country for the purpose of identifying the motor vehicle or a component part of the motor vehicle. See Montana Code 61-1-101
• Writing: includes printing. See Montana Code 1-1-203