Author: Keegan Flaherty
-
Republicans’ judicial oversight committee to send justices letter on appointing judges
Letter says signatories have concerns certain judges could be picked without oversight The Republican-led Senate Select Committee on Judicial Oversight and Reform voted Monday to send a letter to Montana’s Supreme Court justices, a district court judge and several other court employees asking about how the chief justice decides to appoint retired judges. Most of the committee’s meetings so…
-
Judges on Trial
State Senate Republicans empaneled to “rein in” the courts got their first chance to question a district judge on Monday. It did not go smoothly. Judge Mike Menahan of the First Judicial District in Helena was asked to swear an oath to testify truthfully, something rarely done outside of court proceedings or notorizations. The judge declined, explaining that…
-
Legislature v. judiciary
Senate Select Committee on Judicial Oversight and Reform takes a lesson in the separation of powers. This story is excerpted from Capitolized, a weekly newsletter featuring expert reporting, analysis and insight from the reporters and editors of Montana Free Press. Want to see Capitolized in your inbox every Thursday? Sign up here. Lawmakers on the newly formed Senate…
-
Legislative Assaults on State Courts in 2023
State lawmakers passed bills that made partisan changes to judicial selection, manipulated venue rules, and politicized judicial ethics. Last November, days after Ohio voters enshrined the right to abortion in the state’s constitution, a group of state legislators said they would not let courts enforce the new provision. Despite the successful ballot measure, they floated a…