Legal Question in Family Law in Montana

Re: declaring a child delinquent or youth in need of supervision

You can declare her "an incorrigible youth," and the Court will step in. The upside is that she can't ignore the Court. When she misbehaves and the Court says, "go to your room," the Court will provide the room. The downside is her anger toward you is likely to be beyond your wildest imagination. The upside is that the Court can force her to do certain things that you don't have the power to enforce. She's already on thin ice for breaking her probation.

A less draconian alternative is to begin family counseling immediately. You might have to shop until you find a counselor with whom your daughter is willing to work, or at least willing to not rebel against. We don't behave the way she's behaving unless we have a reason. A counselor experienced in counseling families of teens will have better success than the Court (it's not the Court's job, after all) in determining the reasons behind her behavior.

Offer her a choice: voluntary participation in counseling or taking her chances with youth court.