City of Whitefish v. T. Curran

Summary

The Montana Supreme Court affirmed the district court’s order, holding that the City of Whitefish Municipal Court’s imposition of a $600 minimum DUI fine and its subsequent suspension, after considering the defendant’s ability to pay, complies with state statutes and is not unconstitutional under the excessive‑fines clause. The Court relied on its recent decision in State v. Cole to harmonize the relevant statutes and applied a de novo standard of review.