Montana Judicial Branch

The board meeting addressed appointments to the Sentence Review Division. Specifically, the Justices voted unanimously to appoint Judge Jeffrey Dahood as a member of the division for a three-year term expiring at the end of 2028, and appointed Judge Jessica T. Fehr to serve as an alternate member for a term expiring at the end of 2027.

The court session focused on several appointments to various commissions and committees. This included reappointing and replacing members for the Commission on Criminal Jury Instructions and addressing a resignation on the Commission on Character and Fitness. The court also appointed a new member to the Commission on Courts of Limited Jurisdiction to fill a vacancy and restructured the membership of the Pretrial Supervision Advisory Committee, which involved reappointing several members, approving new representatives, and adding a Supreme Court Justice position.

The court held a ceremony to admit new attorneys to the State Bar of Montana. The proceedings included remarks on the professional responsibilities and ethical obligations of lawyers, the significance of the rule of law, and the role of attorneys in society. Several individual motions for admission were presented and granted, followed by the formal administration of the oath of admission to the bar for the new members.

This report provides an updated overview of the success and impact of Montana Drug Courts. It details the mission, funding, and costs, addressing challenges such as access in rural areas through teleservices and the integration of Peer Support Specialists. The report measures accountability and performance across various indicators including program completion, graduation and retention rates, re-offense rates, and participant outcomes in employment, education, and housing. It also outlines drug court activities in Montana, including past conferences and responses to a legislative performance audit, highlighting efforts to improve and expand services.

The meeting included discussions and decisions on several key appointments. The commission on technology saw the reappointment of John Mudd and Franklin Runge. Appointments to the District Court Council included Janice Klempel and Jason Riphenburg, with clarifications made regarding their ex-officio status. Tanis Holm was appointed to the Uniform District Court Rules Commission, and John Lacey was appointed to the Board of Bar Examiners. Additionally, public comments regarding amending the Continuing Legal Education (CLE) rules were addressed, with a follow-up meeting scheduled.