Montana Code 80-4-425. Action on bond by persons injured — liability of surety — statute of limitations
80-4-425. Action on bond by persons injured — liability of surety — statute of limitations. (1) All claims against a bond must be made by and through the department. A person injured by the breach of an obligation for which a bond is given to the department may file a complaint with the department. The department shall then investigate the complaint and determine whether it is valid and whether there are any other outstanding obligations due. If the department finds that there are one or more valid obligations, the department shall make demand upon the warehouse operator or commodity dealer and the commodity dealer’s surety for payment. If the payment is not made promptly, the department shall commence an action on the bond to enforce payment. If the department determines that a complaint is without merit, the department shall notify the complainant of that determination in writing. The complainant may then bring a contested case under Title 2, chapter 4, part 6, to the department for a determination of whether the department should pursue the claim against the bond.
Terms Used In Montana Code 80-4-425
- Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
- Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
- Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
- Person: includes a corporation or other entity as well as a natural person. See Montana Code 1-1-201
- Statute of limitations: A law that sets the time within which parties must take action to enforce their rights.
- Writing: includes printing. See Montana Code 1-1-203
(2)If two or more persons are injured by breach of the obligation for which the bond is given and the damages for violating the conditions of the bond exceed the specified amount of the bond, the recovery on the bond must be prorated by the surety among all of those injured.
(3)The liability of a surety under a bond extends to all obligations from commodity dealers’ or public warehouse operators’ transactions entered into during the year in which the bond was in effect, up to the maximum amount of the bond. Claims must be brought against the bond within 2 succeeding license years.