Abatement is generally the temporary or permanent halting of a process (a lawsuit) or a situation (a nuisance).
In Montana, abatement can refer to different legal contexts. In the context of a lawsuit, abatement means the suspension or cessation of judicial proceedings. This can occur for various reasons, such as the death of a party, a lack of jurisdiction, or the resolution of the matter before a verdict is reached. Montana Rule of Civil Procedure 25 addresses the abatement of actions due to the death of a party. In the context of a nuisance, abatement refers to the removal or cessation of a nuisance, which is an activity or condition that interferes with the use and enjoyment of property. Montana Code Annotated (MCA) Title 27, Chapter 30, provides for the abatement of nuisances, allowing courts to order the responsible party to halt or remove the nuisance. Additionally, local ordinances may also have specific provisions regarding the abatement of nuisances such as noise, pollution, or unsafe buildings.