Tag: court indpendence
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Op-Ed: Judge Russ Fagg on why he’s voting yes on CI-132
Guest Column | By: Russ Fagg I’ve had the honor of serving as a District Court Judge in Yellowstone County for 22 years and, before that, as a Republican state legislator in Billings. When I served as a legislator, my job was to make policy. But when I served as a Judge, my job was…
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Montana Supreme Court Opinion: Ellingson v. State, 2026 MT 233
On Oct. 6, 2026, the Montana Supreme Court ruled that four provisions of SB 93, the 2023 law on citizen ballot initiatives, are unconstitutional and void. They include a $3,700 filing fee, a four-year ban on refiling similar measures, and legislative committee votes placed on petitions. Justice Beth Baker wrote the opinion. Read the full…
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What is Judicial Independence?
During the Montana Trial Lawyers Association’s Annual Convention – Seminar of the Masters – 2026 one of the panels addressed “Judicial Independence, Public Confidence, and Political Polarization: What Is Going On and What Can We Do”. Presenters were former Montana Associate Justice Pat Cotter; The Hon. Dana Christensen of the US District Court, and former governors…
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Speak Up for Justice
Speak Up for Justice seeks to bring the country together to voice support for the judiciary at a time when it is under unprecedented attack. It grows out of a shared recognition that the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary are the hallmarks of our democracy. The attacks on the judiciary have…
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Legislative Assaults on State Courts in 2025
State legislatures retaliated against state courts that had struck down partisan gerrymanders, safeguarded direct democracy, and exerted independence from state political branches.