35-20-216. Inalienability of lots. - Montana Statutes

     35-20-216. Inalienability of lots. (1) Whenever the land of an association is laid out in lots and the lots or any of them are transferred to individual proprietors and there has been an interment in a transferred lot, that lot from the time of interment is inalienable and must, upon the death of the proprietor, descend to to the proprietor's heirs. However, any one or more of those heirs may release to any other of the heirs that individual's or their interest in the lot. A copy of the release must be filed with the secretary of the association or with the county clerk and recorder of the county within which the lot is situated. Except by consent of all persons having an interest in the lot, the body of a deceased person may not be interred in that lot unless it is the body of:
     (a) a person having an interest in that lot at the time of that person's death;
     (b) a relative of some person having an interest;
     (c) the wife or husband of a person having an interest; or
     (d) a relative of the husband or wife.
     (2) However, the person or persons in whom the title to the lot or lots or part of the lot or lots is vested may at any time sell, convey, and release the lot or lots or parts of the lot or lots to the cemetery association maintaining the cemetery in which the lots are situated. A copy of the instruments of conveyance must be filed in the same manner provided for release from one heir to another. The cemetery association may use any funds under its control for filing purposes and holds and may convey the lot or lots or parts of the lot or lots to other purchasers in the same manner and with the same effect as it holds and conveys any other of its cemetery lots. This subsection does not allow or authorize the conveyance to the cemetery association of a piece of ground in which the body of a deceased person lawfully interred actually remains interred at the time of the attempted conveyance.

     History: En. Sec. 19, Ch. 18, L. 1905; re-en. Sec. 4255, Rev. C. 1907; re-en. Sec. 6487, R.C.M. 1921; re-en. Sec. 6487, R.C.M. 1935; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 62, L. 1977; R.C.M. 1947, 9-119; amd. Sec. 1346, Ch. 56, L. 2009.