3-7-223. Duties of the chief water judge. - Montana Statutes

     3-7-223. Duties of the chief water judge. The chief water judge shall:
     (1) administer the adjudication of existing water rights by:
     (a) coordinating with the department of natural resources and conservation in compiling information submitted on water claim forms under Title 85, chapter 2, part 2, to assure that the information is expeditiously and properly compiled and transferred to the water judge in each water division;
     (b) assuring that the water judge in each water division moves without unreasonable delay to enter the required preliminary decree;
     (c) assuring that any contested or conflicting claims are tried and adjudicated as expeditiously as possible;
     (2) conduct hearings in cases certified to the district court under 85-2-309;
     (3) assign court personnel to divisions and duties as needed; and
     (4) request and secure the transfer of water judges between divisions as needed.

     History: En. Sec. 3, Ch. 442, L. 1981; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 256, L. 1983; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 596, L. 1985.