The Montana Supreme Court has ordered the consolidation of two related appellate cases — Cause Nos. DA 26-0045 and DA 26-0046 — into a single proceeding under Cause No. DA 26-0045, granting a motion filed by the appellant identified as the mother in the case.

The matter involves parties identified only by initials, S.O. and T.O., and is designated as a Youth in Need of Care (YINC) proceeding, a category of case in Montana courts that typically involves child welfare or dependency matters.

Consolidation of the two cause numbers means the appeals will be heard and resolved together, which courts often order to avoid inconsistent rulings in related cases. Because this is a youth matter, parties are not identified by full name in public records.