The Montana Board of Pardons and Parole has suspended all in-person statements at custodial facilities for Board hearings. Moving forward, the Board will provide the opportunity to make oral statements by phone, in person at Deer Lodge office (interactive video during parole hearing / inmates are not in Deer Lodge board room) or accept statements in writing.

Any person wishing to make a statement must comply with Administrative Rule 20.25.401 (notify the board staff not less than ten working days prior to the regularly scheduled hearing).  In certain circumstances the Victim/Witness Coordinator and/or the Board Chair may evaluate exceptions. 

20.25.401    HEARING PROCEDURE

(1) The presiding hearing panel member shall conduct hearings informally and shall have discretion to allow or not allow any proposed witness statements on recognized legal grounds.  The board staff shall make a recording of all hearings in accordance with 46-23-110, MCA.

(2) Interested persons who wish to appear before the hearing panel must comply with board requirements as posted on its website including:

(3) Criminal justice authorities or any other interested persons may submit written comments about an offender's possible parole to board staff at any time before the hearing.

(4) A victim may present a statement regarding the effects of the crime on the victim. A victim's statement may also include but is not limited to:

(5) At the presiding hearing panel member's discretion, the victim's statement and testimony will be kept confidential if the presiding member finds the victim's privacy interest outweighs the public's right to know. A recording of the hearing will not personally identify the victim without the victim's written consent.

Statements should address the kind of support or concerns you have regarding potential parole.

Please submit written statements to CORBOPP@mt.gov, mail them to 1002 Hollenbeck Rd, Deer Lodge, MT 59722, or fax them to 406-846-3512.

If you wish to provide oral statements by telephone, please contact the board at 406-846-1404 or at CORBOPP@mt.gov in order to be added to the witness list and provided with instructions.

The board hearing room in Deer Lodge does have video. If you wish to watch the hearing live, please contact the board for details.