Montana Court & Family Education Guide
Information for anyone navigating a court order, custody case, or probation requirement in Montana that involves anger management, parenting, co-parenting, or substance-abuse education.
What does Clearway offer?
People are sometimes ordered or referred to an educational program as part of a family-law, custody, probation, or other Montana court-related matter. The type of program required can depend on the circumstances of the case and the exact wording of the court order.
Clearway Institute offers four self-paced online courses: anger management, parenting, co-parenting, and substance-abuse education. Not every course is appropriate for every court order, and completing an online course does not automatically mean a particular Montana court, probation department, or agency will accept it — always read your order carefully and confirm the required program with the court, probation officer, attorney, or other referring agency when you're not sure.
Which type of class do you need?
Start with whichever matches your order or situation — each course page has the full curriculum before you enroll.
What if a Montana court ordered it?
Montana builds counseling into the sentence for partner or family member assault. Under MCA § 45-5-206, an offender must pay for and complete a counseling assessment focused on violence, controlling behavior, dangerousness, and chemical dependency, and must complete a minimum of 40 hours of counseling with a provider approved by the court. Other conditions are set by the sentencing judge.
On the civil side, orders of protection fall under MCA Title 40, chapter 15, where a court can issue a temporary order for up to 20 days without prior notice to the respondent and a longer order for a period the court directs. In custody cases, § 40-4-212 has the court weigh physical abuse or threats. Orders differ, so confirm exactly what your own order requires before enrolling in any course.
What's the difference between classes?
Parenting vs. co-parenting. Parenting covers general child-development, discipline, and communication skills, and comes up in a wide range of family cases. Co-parenting is built specifically for separated or divorcing parents — coordinating two households, handling custody transitions, and keeping kids out of the middle — and is the more common requirement in a custody or divorce order.
Anger management vs. a certified intervention program. Many states, Montana included, treat general educational anger-management coursework as legally distinct from a state-certified batterer intervention, family-violence intervention, or abuser-treatment program ordered specifically in a domestic-violence case — see “What if a Montana court ordered it?” above for how that distinction works here. If your order names a specific certified program by name, an educational anger-management course usually isn't an automatic substitute — check with your court.
Where can I verify requirements?
The most reliable answer always comes from whoever issued your order — the court clerk, your probation or parole officer, your attorney, or the agency that referred you. Below are free, Montana-specific places to start if you need legal help, counseling, or crisis support along the way.
Legal reference material
For anyone who wants to read the underlying statutes for themselves, here is the reference material this guide is based on — Montana civil and family-law sections first, then criminal law.
Civil & family law
Orders of protectionMCA §§ 40-15-201, 40-15-204
A petitioner in reasonable apprehension of bodily injury may ask for a temporary order of protection, which the court may issue for up to 20 days without prior notice to the respondent. A longer order may continue for the period the court directs, and permanent orders are allowed in specific circumstances.
Child custody: best interest of the childMCA § 40-4-212
The court decides parenting arrangements by the child's best interest and considers physical abuse or threat of physical abuse by one parent against the other parent or the child, along with certain criminal convictions of a parent or household member.
Criminal law
Partner or family member assaultMCA § 45-5-206
Purposely or knowingly causing bodily injury, negligently causing injury with a weapon, or purposely or knowingly causing reasonable apprehension of bodily injury to a partner or family member is an offense with escalating penalties. A first offense carries a fine and at least 24 hours in jail, and a third or later offense can bring a prison term of up to 5 years.
StalkingMCA § 45-5-220
Stalking is a purposeful or knowing course of conduct aimed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to fear for safety or suffer substantial emotional distress. A first offense carries up to a year in county jail and a fine of up to $1,000, with higher penalties for repeat offenses or aggravating circumstances such as violating an order of protection.
Violation of an order of protectionMCA § 45-5-626
Knowingly violating an order of protection is punishable by a fine, county jail time, or both for a first offense, with longer minimum jail terms and higher fines for second and later offenses.