27-5-323. Venue. (1) An initial application must be made to the court of the county in which the agreement provides the arbitration hearing must be held or, if the hearing has been held, in the county in which it was held. Otherwise, the application must be made in the county where the adverse party resides or has a place of business or, if the adverse party does not have a residence or place of business in this state, to the court of any county. All subsequent applications must be made to the court hearing the initial application unless the court otherwise directs. An agreement concerning venue involving a resident of this state is not valid unless the agreement requires that arbitration occur within the state of Montana. This requirement may only be waived upon the advice of counsel as evidenced by counsel's signature on the agreement.
(2) (a) An agreement concerning venue involving an electrical generation facility in this state is not valid unless the agreement requires that arbitration occur within the state before a panel of three arbitrators selected under the Uniform Arbitration Act unless all parties agree in writing to a single arbitrator.
(b) For the purposes of this subsection, "electrical generation facility" has the meaning provided in 75-20-104.
History: En. Sec. 20, Ch. 684, L. 1985; amd. Sec. 607, Ch. 56, L. 2009; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 376, L. 2021.