35-1-839. Court costs and attorney fees. - Montana Statutes

     35-1-839. Court costs and attorney fees. (1) The court in an appraisal proceeding commenced under 35-1-838 shall determine all costs of the proceeding, including the reasonable compensation and expenses of appraisers appointed by the court. The court shall assess the costs against the corporation, except that the court may assess costs against all or some of the dissenters, in amounts the court finds equitable, to the extent the court finds dissenters acted arbitrarily, vexatiously, or not in good faith in demanding payment under 35-1-837.
     (2) The court may also assess the fees and expenses of counsel and experts for the respective parties, in amounts the court finds equitable:
     (a) against the corporation and in favor of any or all dissenters if the court finds the corporation did not substantially comply with the requirements of 35-1-829 through 35-1-837; or
     (b) against either the corporation or a dissenter, in favor of any other party, if the court finds that the party against whom the fees and expenses are assessed acted arbitrarily, vexatiously, or not in good faith with respect to the rights provided by 35-1-826 through 35-1-839.
     (3) If the court finds that the services of counsel for any dissenter were of substantial benefit to other dissenters similarly situated and that the fees for those services should not be assessed against the corporation, the court may award the counsel reasonable attorney fees to be paid out of the amounts awarded the dissenters who were benefited.

     History: En. Sec. 146, Ch. 368, L. 1991.