Montana State Legislature
Senate Select Committee on Judicial Oversight and Reform
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MEETING INFORMATION
Committee meetings are open to the public.
All meetings are streamed and archived under the "Watch & Listen" tab of the leg.mt.gov site.
The draft agenda and meeting materials will be posted when available.
Upcoming Meeting
November 14, 2024
Committee Draft Bills
Table of SJOR Bill Draft Proposals
- PD0052_RW: Judicial Performance Commission
- PD0033_JJ: Eliminating original jurisdiction of Supreme Court to review ballot statements
- LC 618_JJ: Vacating Writs by Joint Leg and Exec filing (previously 31_JJ)
- LC 617_JJ: Deference to legislative acts (previously 36_JJ)
- PD 57_ RW: Constitutional amendment to remove rulemaking authority from the Supreme Court related to attorney governance
- PD0026_JB: Chancery Court Draft
- PD0039_JJ Penalties for contempt of legislative subpoena during interim
- PD0034_JJ: Exemption from professional disciplinary bill draft
- PD0042_JJ: Judge not eligible to chair
- PD0040_JJ: Allowing political party to donate to candidates
- PD0041_JJ: Impeachment bill draft
- LC0614 Open Supreme Court Proceedings
- PD0039_JCW: Judicial Definitions
- PD0041_JCW_MAPA_Judicial_Review
- LC_0048_2025 (1)
- Judicial Election Options
Voting Members
- Senate President Jason Ellsworth, R-Hamilton (Chair)
- Senate Majority Whip Barry Usher, R-Yellowstone/Musselshell (Vice Chair)
- Senate Majority Leader Steve Fitzpatrick, R-Great Falls
- Senate Majority Whip Tom McGillvray, R-Billings
- Senate Majority Whip Steve Hinebauch, R-Wibaux
- Sen. Wendy McKamey, R-Great Falls
- Sen. Carl Glimm, R-Kila
- Sen. Chris Friedel, R-Billings
- Sen. Mark Noland, R-Bigfork
- Sen. Daniel Emrich, R-Great Falls
- Sen. Jen Gross, D-Billings
- Sen. Shane Morigeau, D-Missoula
- Sen. Mary Ann Dunwell, D-Helena
- Sen. Janet Ellis, D-Helena
- Sen. Andrea Olsen, D-Missoula
Non-voting Members
- House Majority Leader Sue Vinton, R-Billings
- Rep. Lyn Hellegaard, R-Missoula
- Rep. Fiona Nave, R-Columbus
- Andrew Billstein, Billings, Public Member
- Joan Mell, Hamilton, Public Member
- Jim Ramlow, Whitefish, Public Member
Staff
- Jerry Howe, Executive Director, Legislative Services Division
- Rachel Weiss, Research Director, Legislative Services Division
Past Meetings and Materials:
Committee Draft Bills
- Bill Draft Table
- PD0034: AG Exemption from Discipline During Tenure
- PD0041: MAPA
- PD0038: Randomized Substitution of Judges
- LC0614: Open Supreme Court Proceedings
- LC0615: Enhance Committee Review of Statewide Ballot Issues
- LC0615:Court Order
- LC0616: Prohibit Retired Judges from Hearing Constitutional Cases
- LC0618: Writs (Speaker or President able to Vacate)
- LC0617: Deference to Legislative Acts and Administrative Rules
- LC0522: Move the JSC to be Administratively Attached Elsewhere
Public Comment
Committee Draft Bills
- Bill Draft Table
- PD0052_RW: Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission Bill
- PD0033.2_JJ: Eliminating Original Jurisdiction Over Ballot Review
- PD0107_JC: Revise Supreme Court Public Record Laws
- PD0036_JCW: Attorney's Fees
- PD0037_JCW: An Act Revising Laws to Prohibit Attorney Fee Awards
- PD0031.1_JJ: Vacating Writs
- PD0036_JJ: Deference
- PD0057_RW: Referendum on Supreme Court Rulemaking Authority Related to Attorneys
- PD0108_JC: Prohibit Retired Judges from Hearing Const. Challenges
- PD0058_RW: Require Partisan Election of Justices and Judges after Nonpartisan Primary
- PD0037_JJ_JSC: Admin Attach to DOA
- PD0029_JB: Performance Audit of State Bar of Montana
- PD0028_JB: On Lawyer Trust Accounts Returned to Client
- PD0110_JC: Enhance Legislative Committee Review of Statewide Initiatives
- PD0030_JB: Performance Audit of the Office of Disciplinary Counsel
- PD0038_JCW: Revising Complaint Processes with the Judicial Standards Commission
Reports
Additional Materials:
Presentation by Professor Natelson
Committee Draft Bills
- PD0057_RW: Referendum on Supreme Court Rulemaking Authority Related to Attorneys
- PD0058_RW: Require Partisan Election of Justices and Judges After Nonpartisan Primary
- PD0107_JC: Revise Supreme Court Public Record Laws
- PD0036_JCW: Revise Award of Attorney Fees
- PD0108_JC: Prohibit Retired Judges from hearing const. challenges
- SB366.1
Materials Provided to Commitee but Not on Agenda
- Montana Elected Officials Salary Table, 2024
- Survey of Judicial Salaries, National Center of State Courts
- SJ 31 Study Report from Law and Justice Interim Committee
- Letter from SJOR to Bowen Greenwood re Judicial Standards Commission Rules
- District Court Order Regarding Interim Committee Review of Ballot Issues
Agenda (Updated 9/10/2024)
Meeting Minutes
Audio / Video
Judicial Standards Commission Audit
Judicial Standards Commission
Committee Bill Drafts
- Table of SJOR Bill Draft Proposals
- PD0052 RW: Judicial Performance Evaluations
- Examples of Utah Performance Evaluations
- Utah JPEC
- PD0057 RW: Referendum on Supreme Court Rulemaking Authority Related to Attorneys
- PD0058 RW: Require Partisan Election of Justices and Judges after Nonpartisan Primary
- HB 355 (2021): Alternate Option for Partisan Election of Judges
- PD0036 Deference
Public Comment
Discussion of Proposed Revisions to Judicial Standards Commission Rules
Related Letters
August 19
August 20
Judicial Discipline
The IAALS JPE 2.0 Pre-Convening White Paper
National Conference of State Legislatures
Court Structure and Processes Overview
Diversity in State Court Judges
Judicial Selection Methods and Other Considerations
Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission
Legislative Considerations handout
Draft legislation – August 19 version
Utah Judicial Performance Commission Code
Montana Judicial Performance Measures
Montana Court Performance Measures and Statistics
Montana Judicial Standards Commission
How Judicial Conduct Commissions Work
Handbook for Members of Judicial Conduct Commission
Judicial Standards Commission of the Montana Supreme Court Member List
Additional Documents
President Ellsworth Letter on Appointment of Retired Judges
Letter from Chief Justice McGrath, August 5
Letter from Justice, Sandefur, August 9
Agenda (Updated 7/26/2024)
District Court Judge Perspective
Perspectives from Attorneys
Draft Letter of Inquiry re Appointment of Retired Judges
Judicial Performance Evaluations
Agenda
Meeting Minutes
Audio / Video
Judicial Performance Evaluations
- IAALS JPE Presentation - Brittany Kauffman
- JPE 2.0: National Perspectives on Judicial Performance Evaluation (2024)
- Overview of Judicial Performance Evaluation Programs (2022)
- Judicial Performance Evaluation in the States (2022)
- Transparent Courthouse: An Updated Blueprint for Judicial Performance Evaluation (2017)
- Utah JPEC Impact on Voting Outcomes (2023)
- Selected Excerpts from the Utah Legislature's Debate on 1st Substitute SJR0001
- Information Request Regarding the Montana Legislature's Investigative Authority 2018
- Senate Bill 490 (2023)
Implementation of Judicial Performance Evaluations - Utah Experience
- JPEC Utah Experience Presentation - Jennifer Yim
District Court Operations
- Follow Up Memo - July
- 2021 Legislation Litigation in Lewis and Clark County Memo
- 2021 Election Legislation Litigation Substitution Motions
Additional Documents
Agenda
Meeting Minutes (6/12)
Meeting Minutes (6/13)
Audio / Video (6/12)
Audio / Video (6/13)
June 12, 2024
Overview of Marbury v. Madison
Overview of Certain Legal Terms
Bill Litigation Materials
- Legal Review of Montana Proposed Legislation Presentation
- 2024 Bill Draft Legal Review Memo
- MDC v. Jacobsen: Synopsis of Case
- MDC v. Jacobsen: Opinion
- Standard of Review
- 2021 Election Law Litigation at the District Court Level
- 2021 Litigation Tracking
- 2023 Litigation Tracking
- 2023 Legislative Session Facts
- Veto Memo
Enacted Legislation Regarding Court Rules of Procedures and Article VII, Section 2, of the MT Constitution
Overview of Legal Review Notes, Amendments with Legal Challenges, and Litigation Relating to the 2021 and 2023 Sessions, Including SB 442 (2023)
June 13, 2024
Overview of Court Opinions on Ballot Initiatives (Legislative and Citizen)
- Initiative and Referendum Overview
- Ballot Issue No. 14 (2023) (now CI-128)
- Legislative Services Division Review Letter for CI-128
- Attorney General Legal Insufficiency Letter for CI-128
- Montana Supreme Court Opinion Finding Legal Sufficiency for CI-128
- Montana Supreme Court Opinion Revising Ballot Statements for CI-128
- Letter from Secretary of State to Speaker and President Regarding CI-128
- Legislative Subpoena to Secretary of State dated April 2, 2024
- Montana Supreme Court Order dated April 3, 2024 for CI-128
- Law and Justice Interim Committee Letter to Secretary of State for CI-128
Agenda
Meeting Minutes
Audio / Video
Meeting Materials
Federal Constitution
Amendments to Federal Constitution
Montana Constitution, including Amendments
U.S. and Montana Constitutions - page numbers added
Constitutions 101 - Jim Ramlow
Legislative Authority MEMO - Todd Everts, Chief Legal Counsel
Legislative Investigative Powers General Statutory Provisions
Voter Information Pamphlet Montana Constitution - June 6, 1972
Documentary History of the Ratification of the Montana Constitution - Miscellaneous Documents
Barrett v. State of Montana, 2024 MT 86
Letter from Democratic Senators
