}. Ballotpedia features 318,742 encyclopedic articles written and curated by our professional staff of editors, writers, and researchers. display: table; University of Montana constitutional and elections law professor Anthony Johnstone said then that in judicial races, such independent expenditures can dominate the campaigns. In that election, a group called the Montana Growth Network, a conservative political action committee headed by Republican state Sen. Jason Priest of Red Lodge, sponsored attack ads critical of McKinnon’s opponent. The results have been certified. Copyright 2020 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. [12] The Montana Supreme Court was created in Article VIII of the 1889 Constitution. .courts-header { font-size:150%;background-color:#334aab;color:white;} Black was born in Havre, and earned a bachelor’s degree at the University of Montana. } Montana’s nonpartisan Supreme Court elections are often-overlooked races. Montana Party Control: 1992-2020 Turnage • Michael E. Wheat •. } Steve Bullock said on Oct. 10 that he is open to adding justices to the Supreme Court, a proposal which has backing from some Democrats in Congress. Republican candidate Bowen Greenwood was elected on November 6, 2018. margin: 0px 10px; color: #0645ad; function defer() { Beth Baker and Nels Swandal competed to fill the seat vacated by William Leaphart. Last June, when McKinnon announced plans to step away from the court at the end of this year, Helena attorney Mike Black and Missoula lawyer Mars Scott promptly jumped into the race. [15][16], In 2009, the Montana Supreme Court made a decision in Baxter vs. Montana that would protect doctors from prosecution for assisting in the death of a terminally ill patient. Now, as the Nov. 3 election looms, she’s facing competition from Mike Black, a Helena-based attorney. Ballotpedia provided comprehensive coverage on how the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic affected America's political and civic life, including elections. position: relative; } Montana has a divided government, and no political party holds a state government trifecta. "The reason I got into the race was because Justice McKinnon last June, announced she that she was not going to seek re-election," said Scott. His case was dismissed by a district court, but the supreme court ruled on his behalf, ensuring that citizens have the ability to bring a lawsuit against a government agency for not complying with the state's right-to-know laws without having to prove their personal stake or injury. Goddard • Howard A. Johnson • Carl Lindquist • Hugh H. Adair • James T. Harrison • Frank I. Haswell • J.A. color: white; In districts that had more than two candidates, the two who received the most votes in the June primary advanced to the November general election. text-align: left; font-size: 16px; "We had a lot of success against those groups and I know they don't like me very much. .votebox-results-cell--check { Ballotpedia features 318,742 encyclopedic articles written and curated by our professional staff of editors, writers, and researchers. } .election_results_text { .votebox { The terms of two Montana Supreme Court justices will expire on December 31, 2020. (2) It has general supervisory control over all other courts. Two seats on the Montana Supreme Court, which hears cases appealed from lower courts and oversees the state judicial system. Source. Topping the list of races, the U.S. Senate, U.S. House, and governor and two seats on the Montana Supreme Court. defer(); Incumbent Jim Shea won election in the general election for Montana Supreme Court on November 3, 2020. text-align: center; color: #fff; padding-left: 0; padding-bottom: 3px; In 2006, she was elected as a local district judge, serving for six years before winning a seat on Montana’s Supreme Court. } Beth Baker "My reputation is more important than winning or losing this race, I intend to conduct myself absolutely above the board in every respect.". Contact us at editor@ballotpedia.org. width: 100%; Incumbent Laurie McKinnon and Mike Black defeated Mars Scott in the primary for Montana Supreme Court on June 2, 2020. Montana has not seen an incumbent supreme court justice lose an election during this same time frame. } We do not sell or share your information with anyone. .inner_percentage { Ingrid Gustafson and Beth Baker were retained. Any incumbent judge who is running unopposed in a general election will be subject to a retention election. background-color: #f9d334; z-index:1; As of early September, little dark money had appeared in this year’s lower-profile races. .results_text { } float: left; background-color: green; The past two contested Supreme Court races in Montana have looked anything but non-partisan, with tons of out of state dark money flowing into the race. .bptable.gray th { background:#4c4c4c;color:#fff; }. This is the home page for the Montana Supreme Court. letter-spacing: .04em; The Helena native's 39-year legal career includes everything from personal injury to business law, with an emphasis now on domestic relations. The chief justice presides over the District Court Council, which administers the state funding of the district courts. max-width: 75px; Click [show] at the right to view more past election results. .non_result_row { The terms of two Montana Supreme Court justices will expire on December 31, 2020. The table below lists the current justices of the Montana Supreme Court. background-color: #6db24f; McKinnon has written for the majority in key cases, as well. But Black argued that his experience in Montana courts qualifies him for the seat, and criticized McKinnon’s consistency and her readings of Montana constitutional protections in areas like public access. background-color: #6db24f; Click here for more information. In the case of a mid-term vacancy, the governor may appoint an interim justice. overflow-x: scroll; By: Mike Dennison Posted at 7:17 AM, Sep 28, 2020 . ■ Kristen Juras[11] display: block; The rule had been implemented to ensure a tax credit program was compliant with the Montana Constitution. Incumbent Patricia O'Brien Cotter ran uncontested and was re-elected.