The Montana Supreme Court on Sunday put the brakes on a legislative inquiry into the state court administratorâs emails, which recent revelations have shown to contain judgesâ polls on pending legislation and were deleted from the administratorâs account.
A dispute over the separation of powers is developing out of a state Supreme Court case over the constitutionality of a new law signed last month expanding the governorâs appointment power over judicial vacancies.Â
On Monday the Senate Republicans, through counsel with the Montana Department of Justice, said they will defy the court s order quashing the subpoena, stating the dispute over judicial emails do not belong in the case challenging the constitutionality of a new law.
Complaint challenges Montana law allowing governor to appoint judges
Associated Press
HELENA Montana s governor has signed a bill to eliminate the Judicial Nomination Commission and allow the governor to directly fill between-election vacancies in state District Courts and the Montana Supreme Court, reversing a change made in the state s 1972 constitution and prompting an immediate legal challenge.
A delegate to the 1972 Constitutional Convention and two former lawmakers who voted to create the nominating commission in 1973 are among the petitioners who asked the Montana Supreme Court on Wednesday to declare the law unconstitutional.
Gov. Greg Gianforte said in a statement after Tuesday s bill signing that he will “appoint well-qualified judges who will protect and uphold the Constitution and who will interpret laws, not make them from the bench. I am committed to appointing judges transparently, providing for robust public input and ensuring judges have a diversity of legal
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