--- title: "Tara Elliott | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/tara-elliott-mt-4th" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-07-30" --- # Tara Elliott Montana 4th Judicial District Court · District Judge ## Profile - Court: Montana 4th Judicial District Court - State: Montana - Role: District Judge - Service status: active - Last verified: 2026-07-27 ## Summary Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge. ## Before you appear - Read the judge-specific standing order first when one is listed. - Check the docket and case orders for requirements that supersede broader guidance. - Confirm current remote-access and courtroom technology arrangements before the proceeding. ## Courtroom Rules ### ex parte materials Scope: courtwide Unless a rule or statute provides otherwise, file and serve documents, briefs, proposed orders, proposed judgments, and other communications before presenting them to the court. Evidence excerpt: no document, including briefs, proposed orders and proposed judgments, or other communications, may be presented to the court at any time unless it is first filed with the court and served on all parties. [Montana Code Annotated 2025, Uniform District Court Rule 3](https://archive.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0250/chapter_0190/part_0010/section_0030/0250-0190-0010-0030.html) Source checked: 2026-07-30 ### pretrial conference Scope: courtwide Unless the court orders otherwise, expect a pretrial conference in every contested civil case. Evidence excerpt: Unless otherwise ordered by the court, a pre-trial conference shall be held in all contested civil cases. [Montana Code Annotated 2025, Uniform District Court Rule 5](https://archive.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0250/chapter_0190/part_0010/section_0050/0250-0190-0010-0050.html) Source checked: 2026-07-30 ### joint pretrial order Scope: courtwide No later than seven days before the pretrial conference, the plaintiff must convene all parties to prepare the proposed pretrial order and present it for signature at the conference. Evidence excerpt: Not later than seven days prior to the pre-trial conference, Plaintiff shall convene a conference of all parties for the purpose of preparing a pre-trial order. [Montana Code Annotated 2025, Uniform District Court Rule 5](https://archive.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0250/chapter_0190/part_0010/section_0050/0250-0190-0010-0050.html) Source checked: 2026-07-30 ### exhibit objections Scope: courtwide Identify each trial exhibit and any objection in the pretrial order. An exhibit offered at trial without a stated pretrial-order objection will be admitted. Evidence excerpt: Any exhibit offered at the trial to which no objection was made in the pre-trial order will be admitted into evidence. [Montana Code Annotated 2025, Uniform District Court Rule 5](https://archive.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0250/chapter_0190/part_0010/section_0050/0250-0190-0010-0050.html) Source checked: 2026-07-30 ### trial witness disclosure Scope: courtwide List in the pretrial order the witnesses who may be called, except rebuttal witnesses. Evidence excerpt: The following witnesses and no others will (may) be called to testify except on rebuttal. [Montana Code Annotated 2025, Uniform District Court Rule 5](https://archive.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0250/chapter_0190/part_0010/section_0050/0250-0190-0010-0050.html) Source checked: 2026-07-30 ### jury instructions Scope: courtwide Deliver proposed jury instructions and verdict forms to the court in duplicate, and serve every opposing party, at the time fixed in the pretrial order. Evidence excerpt: All proposed jury instructions and verdict forms must be delivered to the court in duplicate and a copy served upon all opposing parties at the time fixed in the pre-trial order. [Montana Code Annotated 2025, Uniform District Court Rule 7](https://archive.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0250/chapter_0190/part_0010/section_0070/0250-0190-0010-0070.html) Source checked: 2026-07-30 ### jury instruction authorities Scope: courtwide Identify each proposed jury instruction's source and cite supporting authority at the bottom. Evidence excerpt: Each proposed instruction shall identify at the bottom its source and cite supporting authorities, if any. [Montana Code Annotated 2025, Uniform District Court Rule 7](https://archive.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0250/chapter_0190/part_0010/section_0070/0250-0190-0010-0070.html) Source checked: 2026-07-30 ### proposed findings Scope: courtwide Unless the court orders otherwise, file and serve proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law at least seven days before a trial or hearing where Rule 52 requires them. Evidence excerpt: all parties shall file with the court, and serve upon all opposing parties, at least seven days prior to the scheduled trial or hearing, proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law. [Montana Code Annotated 2025, Uniform District Court Rule 8](https://archive.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0250/chapter_0190/part_0010/section_0080/0250-0190-0010-0080.html) Source checked: 2026-07-30 ### exhibit custody Scope: courtwide Every exhibit filed or offered in evidence remains in the clerk's custody unless the court orders a copy substituted or permits withdrawal. Evidence excerpt: Every exhibit placed on file or offered in evidence shall be held in the custody of the clerk. [Montana Code Annotated 2025, Uniform District Court Rule 12](https://archive.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0250/chapter_0190/part_0010/section_0120/0250-0190-0010-0120.html) Source checked: 2026-07-30 ## Sources - [Official profile](https://courts.mt.gov/CourtLocator/4thJudicialDistrict) - [Official roster](https://courts.mt.gov/CourtLocator/4thJudicialDistrict) - [Montana Judicial Branch official judicial roster](https://courts.mt.gov/CourtLocator/4thJudicialDistrict) - [Montana Code Annotated 2025, Uniform District Court Rule 3](https://archive.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0250/chapter_0190/part_0010/section_0030/0250-0190-0010-0030.html) - [Montana Code Annotated 2025, Uniform District Court Rule 5](https://archive.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0250/chapter_0190/part_0010/section_0050/0250-0190-0010-0050.html) - [Montana Code Annotated 2025, Uniform District Court Rule 7](https://archive.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0250/chapter_0190/part_0010/section_0070/0250-0190-0010-0070.html) - [Montana Code Annotated 2025, Uniform District Court Rule 8](https://archive.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0250/chapter_0190/part_0010/section_0080/0250-0190-0010-0080.html) - [Montana Code Annotated 2025, Uniform District Court Rule 12](https://archive.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0250/chapter_0190/part_0010/section_0120/0250-0190-0010-0120.html) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/tara-elliott-mt-4th", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/tara-elliott-mt-4th", "name": "Tara Elliott | KnowJudges", "description": "Tara Elliott, Montana 4th Judicial District Court. 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Elliott is the elected District Court Judge for Montana’s 4th Judicial District, Department 2, serving since November 2024 and up for re‐election in 2030 - Her legal career began after graduating from Hofstra University School of Law in 2000, when she worked for eight years as an Assistant District Attorney in the New York County District Attorney’s Office, prosecuting domestic violence, sex trafficking, narcotics, and homicide cases - Her career included service as an assistant district attorney in New York County and as an assistant United States attorney ### Education ### Additional information - She began service on Montana’s 4th Judicial District Court in 2025. - Before joining the judicial bench, Judge Elliott spent 16 years as a prosecutor with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Montana - handling primarily narcotics and violent crime cases. - Judge Elliott presides over cases in the Fourth Judicial District, Department 2 of the Montana District Courts. - Judge Elliott has stated that she values fairness, integrity, and the rule of law, and is known for a balanced approach to case prosecution, recognizing that incarceration is not always the solution - She also argued cases before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and tried cases in every federal courthouse in Montana ## Published courtroom rules ### Shared court rules - [Montana Rules of Civil Procedure](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-6e1435089ae82fd2e0c1b0d2) — Civil proceedings in Montana District Courts. Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule. [Official source](https://courts.mt.gov/external/rules/civ_proc.pdf). Collected 2026-10-27.