Evidence Preservation in Montana
State statute requires law enforcement to automatically preserve biological material obtained in connection with a felony conviction. The evidence must be preserved for a minimum of 3 years after the conviction in the case becomes final, or for any period beyond the 3 years that is required by a court order issued within 3 years after the conviction in the case becomes final. Effective: 2003. Amended most recently: 2009.
Montana’s statute does NOT meet the best practices standards outlined by the NIST Technical Working Group on Biological Evidence Preservation.