(Havre) The Montana Supreme Court is having an election for a new Chief Justice this year rather than appointing them.
New Media Broadcasters spoke with Cory Swanson, a County Attorney in Broadwater County and a candidate for Montana Supreme Court Chief Justice, to ask why Montana sometimes appoints a justice and sometimes elects one.
“The current Chief Justice is retiring, so let’s say for some reason that a member of the court left during their eight-year term, then their vacancy would be appointed by the governor. But if they’re retiring at the end of their term, then the new person has to run for that election.”
