United States District Court for the District of Montana

United States District Court for the District of Montana (D. Mont.)
Map
Appeals to	Ninth Circuit
Established	February 22, 1889
Judges assigned	3
Chief judge	Dana L. Christensen
Official site

The United States District Court for the District of Montana (in case citations, D. Mont.) is the United States District Court whose jurisdiction is the state of Montana (except the part of the state within Yellowstone National Park, which is under the jurisdiction of the United States District Court for the District of Wyoming). The court is located in Billings, Butte, Great Falls, Helena and Missoula.

Cases from the District of Montana are appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (except for patent claims and claims against the U.S. government under the Tucker Act, which are appealed to the Federal Circuit).

The United States Attorney's Office for the District of Montana represents the United States in civil and criminal litigation in the court. The current U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana is Michael Cotter.

History

The District of Montana was organized on February 22, 1889, by 25 Stat. 676, following Montana's admission to statehood. Congress organized Montana as a single judicial district, and authorized one judgeship for the district court, which was assigned to the Ninth Circuit. A temporary second judgeship was added on September 14, 1922, by 42 Stat. 837, and was made permanent on May 31, 1938 by 52 Stat. 584. On July 10, 1984, by 98 Stat. 333, the third judgeship was authorized.

Judges

• As of December 31, 2012, a vacancy exists due to the decision of Judge Sam E. Haddon to take senior status. No replacement nominee is pending.
• As of March 18, 2013, a second vacancy exists due to the decision of Judge Richard F. Cebull to take senior status. No replacement nominee is pending.

#	Title	Judge	Duty station	Born	Term of service			Appointed by
					Active	Chief	Senior
18	District Judge	Dana L. Christensen	Missoula	1951	2011–present	2013—present	—	Obama
19	District Judge	vacant	—	—	—	—	—	—
20	District Judge	vacant	—	—	—	—	—	—
13	Senior District Judge	Charles C. Lovell	Helena	1929	1985–2000	—	2000–present	Reagan
14	Senior District Judge	Jack D. Shanstrom	Billings	1932	1990–2001	1996–2001	2001–present	G.H. W. Bush
15	Senior District Judge	Donald W. Molloy	Missoula	1946	1996–2011	2001–2008	2011–present	Clinton
17	Senior District Judge	Sam E. Haddon	Great Falls	1937	2001–2012	—	2012–present	G.W. Bush

Former Judges

#	Judge	State	Born/Died	Active service	Term as Chief Judge	Senior status	Appointed by	Reason for termination
1	Knowles, HiramHiram Knowles	MT	1834–1911	1890–1904	—	—	Harrison, B.B. Harrison	retirement
2	Hunt, William HenryWilliam Henry Hunt	MT	1857–1949	1904–1910	—	—	Roosevelt, T.T. Roosevelt	reappointment
3	Rasch, Carl L.Carl L. Rasch	MT	1866–1961	1910–1911	—	—	Taft, Taft	resignation
4	Bourquin, George M.George M. Bourquin	MT	1863–1958	1912–1934	—	1934–1958	Taft, Taft	death
5	Pray, Charles NelsonCharles Nelson Pray	MT	1868–1963	1924–1957	1948–1957	1957–1963	Coolidge, Coolidge	death
6	Baldwin, James HarrisJames Harris Baldwin	MT	1876–1944	1935–1944	—	—	Roosevelt, F.F. Roosevelt	death
7	Brown, Sr., Robert LewisRobert Lewis Brown, Sr.	MT	1892–1948	1945–1948	—	—	Roosevelt, F.F. Roosevelt	death
8	Murray, William DanielWilliam Daniel Murray	MT	1908–1994	1949–1965	1957–1965	1965–1994	Truman, Truman	death
9	Jameson, William JamesWilliam James Jameson	MT	1898–1990	1957–1969	1965–1968	1969–1990	Eisenhower, Eisenhower	death
10	Smith, Russell EvansRussell Evans Smith	MT	1908–1990	1966–1979	1968–1978	1979–1990	Johnson, L.L. Johnson	death
11	Battin, James FranklinJames Franklin Battin	MT	1925–1996	1969–1990	1978–1990	1990–1996	Nixon, Nixon	death
12	Hatfield, Paul G.Paul G. Hatfield	MT	1928–2000	1979–1996	1990–1996	1996–2000	Carter, Carter	death
16	Cebull, Richard F.Richard F. Cebull	MT	1944–present	2001–2013	2008–2013	2013–2013	Bush, G.W.G.W. Bush	retirement

See also

• Courts of Montana
• List of United States federal courthouses in Montana

External links

• United States District Court for the District of Montana Official Website
• United States Attorney for the District of Montana Official Website
• U.S. District Court of Montana, Legislative history, Federal Judicial Center.