ABVE/F in Montana
Recognition and practice information for American Board of Vocational Experts Fellow in Montana.
Recognition and qualification in Montana
The ABVE Fellow is the American Board of Vocational Experts' certification for a forensic vocational expert: a graduate degree in a human service field, documented experience in assessment of vocational capacity and as a forensic vocational expert, a peer-reviewed forensic work product, the board's examination and its code of ethics. The Diplomate is the board's higher designation.
The Vocational Rehabilitation & Blind Services within the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services administers public vocational rehabilitation in Montana. KWVRS ABVE/F-credentialed experts apply nationally recognized standards.
Montana courts and venues
Expert qualification in Montana's courts is determined case by case.
- District Court - General jurisdiction; felonies, probate, most civil cases at law and in equity, and appeals from the courts of limited jurisdiction
- Justice Court - Civil cases up to $15,000, misdemeanors, small claims
- City Court - City or town ordinance violations; shares the justice court's misdemeanor and civil jurisdiction
Highest court: Montana Supreme Court. Federal venues: D. Mont.
Sources: Montana Judicial Branch, Montana Courts: the courts of limited jurisdiction (justice, city and municipal courts), the district courts and the state's highest court, the Montana Supreme Court; the Water Court and the Workers' Compensation Court among the specialty courts, the Workers' Compensation Court resolving disputes under the Workers' Compensation Act and the Occupational Disease Act (reviewed 2026-10-12); Montana Judicial Branch, District Courts: courts of general jurisdiction for felonies, probate and most civil cases at law and in equity, with limited appellate jurisdiction over cases arising in the courts of limited jurisdiction (reviewed 2026-10-12); Montana Judicial Branch, Courts of Limited Jurisdiction: justice, city and municipal courts; misdemeanors, civil cases up to $15,000 and small claims up to $7,000 (reviewed 2026-10-12); Montana Legislature, Montana Code Annotated 2025, justices' courts civil jurisdiction: actions up to $15,000 (reviewed 2026-10-12); Montana Legislature, Montana Code Annotated 2025, city courts: exclusive jurisdiction of city or town ordinance violations (reviewed 2026-10-12); Montana Legislature, Montana Code Annotated 2025, city courts: concurrent jurisdiction with the justice's court of all misdemeanors and of the proceedings of the justices' courts' jurisdiction (reviewed 2026-10-12); Montana Legislature, Montana Code Annotated 2025, municipal courts: jurisdiction coextensive with the justices' courts and over city ordinance cases (reviewed 2026-10-12); Montana Legislature, Montana Code Annotated 2025, municipal courts: a city above a set population may have a municipal court, which takes over the city court's pending cases (reviewed 2026-10-12); Montana Judicial Branch, Water Court: exclusive jurisdiction over the adjudication of water rights claims in Montana (reviewed 2026-10-12); Montana Judicial Branch, Workers' Compensation Court: disputes under the Workers' Compensation Act and the Occupational Disease Act (reviewed 2026-10-12)
Other credentials in Montana
Frequently Asked Questions
How does a Fellow differ from a Diplomate?
The Diplomate is the board's higher designation: at least seven years of documented forensic vocational experience and distinguished performance such as publications, office in a professional organization or awards, against the Fellow's three years. The two certifications share the degree requirement, the examination, the peer-reviewed work product and the code of ethics, and the board takes a separate application for each.
References
- ABVE Fellow InformationOrganization
- Montana Judicial Branch, Montana Courts: the courts of limited jurisdiction (justice, city and municipal courts), the district courts and the state's highest court, the Montana Supreme Court; the Water Court and the Workers' Compensation Court among the specialty courts, the Workers' Compensation Court resolving disputes under the Workers' Compensation Act and the Occupational Disease Act (reviewed 2026-10-12)Government
- Montana Judicial Branch, District Courts: courts of general jurisdiction for felonies, probate and most civil cases at law and in equity, with limited appellate jurisdiction over cases arising in the courts of limited jurisdiction (reviewed 2026-10-12)Government
- Montana Judicial Branch, Courts of Limited Jurisdiction: justice, city and municipal courts; misdemeanors, civil cases up to $15,000 and small claims up to $7,000 (reviewed 2026-10-12)Government
- Montana Legislature, Montana Code Annotated 2025, justices' courts civil jurisdiction: actions up to $15,000 (reviewed 2026-10-12)Government
- Montana Legislature, Montana Code Annotated 2025, city courts: exclusive jurisdiction of city or town ordinance violations (reviewed 2026-10-12)Government
- Montana Legislature, Montana Code Annotated 2025, city courts: concurrent jurisdiction with the justice's court of all misdemeanors and of the proceedings of the justices' courts' jurisdiction (reviewed 2026-10-12)Government
- Montana Legislature, Montana Code Annotated 2025, municipal courts: jurisdiction coextensive with the justices' courts and over city ordinance cases (reviewed 2026-10-12)Government
- Montana Legislature, Montana Code Annotated 2025, municipal courts: a city above a set population may have a municipal court, which takes over the city court's pending cases (reviewed 2026-10-12)Government
- Montana Judicial Branch, Water Court: exclusive jurisdiction over the adjudication of water rights claims in Montana (reviewed 2026-10-12)Government
- Montana Judicial Branch, Workers' Compensation Court: disputes under the Workers' Compensation Act and the Occupational Disease Act (reviewed 2026-10-12)Government
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