Montana Legislature Passes Bill To Award Paralegal Fees
May 19, 2009
By the Best Paralegal Schools Content Team – Find Top Paralegal Programs Today!
The Montana legislature has passed a bill which includes paralegal fees in any awards given to the winning side in a court case, recognizing the important role they play and that they should be rewarded for their contribution to a winning case.
The bill, HB 301, has been signed into law by Governor Brian Schweitzer.
The specific text of the bill reads that, "in any case or proceeding in which attorney fees are awarded to the prevailing party, the court may, as a component of the attorney fees, include reasonable fees of a paralegal."
For the purposes of the Montana legislature, paralegal is strictly defined as "a person qualified through education, training or work experience who is employed or retained to perform, under supervision by a licensed attorney, substantive legal work that requires a substantial knowledge of legal concepts and in the absence of the paralegal, would be performed by an attorney."
Paralegals perform important functions in the smooth running of a successful law office, and Montana is recognizing that in law. Maybe this is a sign that it is time for you to get a paralegal degree.
Find a Top Online Paralegal Degree Program Today!
Related Article Topics: Paralegal Career
