Montana Judicial Nomination Commission

Montana’s governor will retain a new power to appoint judges directly to vacant benches without the input of the Judicial Nomination Commission. The...

Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte has formed an advisory council to help fill a district court judge vacancy in Cascade County. This is the executive’s first opportunity to fill a vacancy directly under a law currently being challenged in court.

The Montana Supreme Court has denied a request to consider the legality of a bill that would increase the governor’s influence over judicial nominations. The policy is a back-up option advanced by Republicans in case the court strikes down a separate law giving the governor more power to fill judicial vacancies directly.

A bill passed by the state Legislature's Republican majority is now leading to debate over the separation of powers between the branches of Montana’s...

Montana lawmakers voted down a bill Tuesday that would have made judicial elections partisan. It was just one of several policy changes aimed at...