United States District Court for the District of Montana
| District of Montana |
|---|
| Ninth Circuit |
 |
| Judgeships |
| Posts: 3 |
| Judges: 3 |
| Vacancies: 0 |
| Judges |
| Chief:Brian Morris |
| Active judges:Bill Mercer,Brian Morris,Susan Pamela Watters Senior judges: |
TheUnited States District Court for the District of Montana is theUnited States district court whose jurisdiction is the state ofMontana (except the part of the state within Yellowstone National Park, which is under the jurisdiction of theU.S. District Court for the District of Wyoming). The district operates out of courthouses in Billings, Butte, Great Falls, Helena, and Missoula. It is one of 94United States district courts. Appeals from the District of Montana go to theUnited States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Vacancies
- See also:Current federal judicial vacancies
There are no current vacancies on theUnited States District Court for the District of Montana, out of the court's three judicial positions.
Pending nominations
There are no pending nominees for this court.
Active judges
Article III judges
| Judge | Appointed By | Assumed Office | Bachelors | Law |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 17, 2013 - | Stanford University, 1986 | Stanford University, 1992 | ||
| December 18, 2013 - | Eastern Montana College, 1980 | University of Montana School of Law, 1988 | ||
| November 6, 2025 - | University of Montana, 1986 | George Mason University School of Law, 1993 |
Active Article III judges by appointing political party
The list below displays the number of active judges by the party of the appointing president. It does not reflect how a judge may rule on specific cases or their own political preferences.
- Democratic appointed: 2
- Republican appointed: 1
Senior judges
| Judge | Appointed By | Assumed Office | Bachelors | Law |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 14, 2000 - | University of Montana, 1952 | University of Montana School of Law, 1959 | ||
| August 16, 2011 - | University of Montana, 1968 | University of Montana School of Law, 1976 | ||
| December 31, 2012 - | Rice University, 1959 | University of Montana School of Law, 1965 | ||
| November 7, 2025 - | Stanford University, 1973 | University of Montana Law, 1976 |
Senior judges by appointing political party
The list below displays the number of senior judges by the party of the appointing president. It does not reflect how a judge may rule on specific cases or their own political preferences.
- Democratic appointed: 2
- Republican appointed: 2
Magistrate judges
Federal magistrate judges are federal judges who serve inUnited States district courts, but they are not appointed by the president and they do not serve life terms. Magistrate judges are assigned duties by the district judges in the district in which they serve. They may preside over most phases of federal proceedings, except for criminal felony trials. The specific duties of a magistrate judge vary from district to district, but the responsibilities always include handling matters that would otherwise be on the dockets of the district judges. Full-time magistrate judges serve for renewable terms of eight years. Some federal district courts have part-time magistrate judges, who serve for renewable terms of four years.[1]
| Judge | Appointed By | Assumed Office | Bachelors | Law |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 5, 2015 - | Western Montana College, 1985 | University of Montana School of Law, 1988 | ||
| December 1, 2016 - | Montana State University-Billings, 1981 | University of Montana School of Law, 1984 | ||
| August 3, 2019 - | Santa Clara University, 1989 | University of Montana School of Law, 1999 |
Former chief judges
In order to qualify for the office ofchief judge in an Article III circuit or district court, or on theUnited States Court of International Trade, a judge must be in active service and hold seniority over the court's commissioned judges who are 64 years of age or under, have served one year or more, and have not previously served as chief judge.[2]
In the event that no judge on the court meets those qualifications, the youngest judge in regular active service aged 65 years or more and who has served as a judge for one year or more shall become chief judge. If no judge meets those qualifications, the judge holding seniority in active service who has not served as chief before shall become the chief judge.[3][4][5]
The chief judge serves for a term of seven years until another judge becomes eligible to serve in the position. No judge is permitted to serve as chief judge after reaching the age of 70 years unless no other judge is qualified to serve.[3][4][5]
Unlike the chief justice of the United States, a chief judge returns to active service after the expiration of their term and does not create a vacancy on the court by the fact of their promotion.[2][3][4][5]
On theUnited States Court of Federal Claims, the chief judge is selected by thepresident of the United States. The judge must be less than 70 years of age. A chief may serve until they reach age 70 or until another judge is designated by the president as the new chief judge. If the president selects a new chief judge, the former chief judge may continue active service on the court for the remainder of their appointed term.[6]
|
Former judges
For more information on the judges of the District of Montana, seeformer federal judges of the District of Montana.
Jurisdiction
The District of Montana hasoriginal jurisdiction over cases filed within its jurisdiction. These cases can include civil and criminal matters that fall under federal law.
The court is located in Billings, Butte, Great Falls, Helena, and Missoula.
Caseloads
This section contains court management statistics dating back to 2010. It was last updated in September 2025.
Click[show] below for more information on caseload terms and definitions.
| Caseload statistics explanation | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Term | Explanation | ||||||||
| Cases filed and terminated | The number of civil and criminal lawsuits formally initiated or decided by the court in a calendar year. The chart below reflects the table columnsCases filed andCases terminated. | ||||||||
| Average time from filing to disposition | The average amount of time, in months, from a case's date of filing to date of disposition (acquittal, sentencing, dismissal, etc.). The chart below reflects the table columnsMedian time (Criminal) andMedian time (Civil). | ||||||||
| Starting case load | The number of cases pending from the previous calendar year. | ||||||||
| Cases filed | The number of civil and criminal lawsuits formally initiated in a calendar year. | ||||||||
| Cases terminated | The total number of civil and criminal lawsuits decided by the court in a calendar year. | ||||||||
| Remaining cases | The number of civil and criminal cases pending at the end of a given year. | ||||||||
| Median time (Criminal) | The average amount of time, in months, from a case's date of filing to the date of disposition. In criminal cases, the date of disposition occurs on the day of sentencing or acquittal/dismissal. | ||||||||
| Median time (Civil) | The average amount of time, in months, from a case's date of filing to the date of disposition. | ||||||||
| Three-year civil cases | The number and percent of civil cases that were filed more than three years before the end of the given calendar year. | ||||||||
| Vacant posts | The number of months during the year an authorized judgeship was vacant. | ||||||||
| Trial/Post | The number of trials completed divided by the number of authorized judgeships on the court. Trials include evidentiary trials, hearings on temporary restraining orders, and preliminary injunctions. | ||||||||
| United States District Court for the District of Montana caseload stats, 2010-2024 | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Cases Filed | Cases Terminated | Cases Pending | Number of Judgeships | Vacant Judgeship Months | Average Total Filings per Judgeship | Trials Completed per Judgeship | Median time from filing to disposition, criminal | Median time from filing to disposition, civil | Three-year civil cases (#) | Three-year civil cases (%) |
| 2010 | 1,094 | 1,196 | 827 | 3 | 0 | 365 | 45 | 7 | 10 | 42 | 9 |
| 2011 | 1,084 | 1,036 | 745 | 3 | 4 | 361 | 40 | 7 | 9 | 48 | 10 |
| 2012 | 1,260 | 1,237 | 868 | 3 | 0 | 420 | 40 | 7 | 9 | 48 | 9 |
| 2013 | 1,274 | 1,277 | 871 | 3 | 20 | 425 | 34 | 7 | 8 | 48 | 9 |
| 2014 | 1,338 | 1,233 | 970 | 3 | 0 | 446 | 45 | 7 | 10 | 44 | 8 |
| 2015 | 1,182 | 1,170 | 978 | 3 | 0 | 394 | 36 | 8 | 9 | 48 | 8 |
| 2016 | 1,228 | 1,221 | 967 | 3 | 0 | 409 | 33 | 8 | 9 | 56 | 9 |
| 2017 | 1,236 | 1,160 | 1,032 | 3 | 0 | 412 | 34 | 8 | 9 | 58 | 9 |
| 2018 | 1,377 | 1,405 | 1,012 | 3 | 0 | 459 | 33 | 9 | 11 | 56 | 9 |
| 2019 | 1,283 | 1,251 | 1,048 | 3 | 0 | 428 | 57 | 8 | 10 | 62 | 10 |
| 2020 | 1,257 | 1,156 | 1,152 | 3 | 0 | 419 | 48 | 9 | 10 | 62 | 10 |
| 2021 | 1,237 | 1,305 | 1,080 | 3 | 0 | 412 | 44 | 9 | 11 | 73 | 11 |
| 2022 | 1,268 | 1,227 | 1,113 | 3 | 0 | 423 | 57 | 8 | 11 | 84 | 13 |
| 2023 | 1,143 | 1,057 | 1,221 | 3 | 0 | 381 | 46 | 9 | 12 | 83 | 12 |
| 2024 | 1,417 | 1,347 | 1,278 | 3 | 0 | 472 | 53 | 9 | 10 | 80 | 12 |
| Average | 1,245 | 1,219 | 1,011 | 3 | 2 | 415 | 43 | 8 | 10 | 59 | 10 |
History
The District of Montana was established by Congress onFebruary 22, 1889, with one post to cover the entire state. Over time two additional judicial posts were added for a total of three current posts[7]
Judicial posts
The following table highlights the development of judicial posts for the District of Montana:[7]
| Year | Statute | Total Seats |
| February 22, 1889 | 25 Stat. 676 | 1 |
| September 14, 1922 | 42 Stat. 837 | 2 (1 temporary) |
| May 31, 1938 | 52 Stat. 584 | 2 (temporary post expired) |
| July 10, 1984 | 98 Stat. 333 | 3 |
Federal courthouse
Five separate courthouses serve the District of Montana.
About United States District Courts
TheUnited States district courts are the generaltrial courts of theUnited States federal courts. There are 94 such courts. Bothcivil andcriminal cases are filed in the district court, which is a court of both law and equity.
There is aUnited States bankruptcy court and a number ofbankruptcy judges associated with each United States district court. Eachfederal judicial district has at least one courthouse, and most districts have more than one.
There is at least one judicial district for each state, and one each for Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. District courts in three insular areas—the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands—exercise the same jurisdiction as U.S. district courts. Despite their name, these courts are technically not District Courts of the United States. Judges on theseterritorial courts do not enjoy the protections ofArticle III of the Constitution, and serve terms of 10 years rather than for life.
There are677 U.S. District Court judgeships.[8][9]
The number of federal district judge positions is set by the U.S. Congress in Title 28 of the U.S. Code, Section 133, which authorizes a set number of judge positions, or judgeships, making changes and adjustments in these numbers from time to time.
In order to relieve the pressure of trying the hundreds of thousands of cases brought before the federal district courts each year, many trials are tried by juries, along with a presiding judge.[10]
Appointments by president
The chart below shows the number of district court judges confirmed by the U.S. Senate through November 1 of the first year of presidents' second term in office. At this point in the term, President Obama had the most district court appointments with 25.
Judges by district
- See also:Judicial vacancies in federal courts
The table below displays the number of judges in each district and indicates how many were appointed by presidents from each major political party. It also includes the number of vacancies in a district and how many pending nominations for that district are before theUnited States Senate. The table can be sorted by clicking the column headers above the line, and you can navigate through the pages by clicking the arrows at the top of the table. It is updated every Monday.
Judicial selection
The district courts are served byArticle III federal judges who are appointed for life during "good behavior." They are usually first recommended by senators (or members of the House, occasionally). The President of the United States makes the appointments, which must then be confirmed by the U.S. Senate in accordance withArticle III of the United States Constitution.[9]
| Step |  A Candidacy Proceeds |  A Candidacy Halts |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Recommendation made by Congress Member to the President | President Nominates toSenate Judiciary Committee | President Declines Nomination |
| 2. Senate Judiciary Committee interviews Candidate | Sends candidate to Senate for confirmation | Returns candidate to President, who may re-nominate to Committee |
| 3. Senate votes on candidate confirmation | Candidate becomes federal judge | Candidate does not receive judgeship |
Magistrate judges
The district courts are also served by magistrate judges. Congress created the judicial office offederal magistrate in 1968. In 1990, the position title was changed tomagistrate judge. The chief judge of each district appoints one or more magistrate judges, who discharge many of the ancillary duties of district judges so judges can handle more trials. There are both full-time and part-time magistrate judge positions, and these positions are assigned to the district courts according to caseload criteria (subject to funding by Congress). A full-time magistrate judge serves a term of eight years; a part-time magistrate judge's term of office is four years.[11]
See also
- United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- District of Alaska
- District of Arizona
- Central District of California
- Eastern District of California
- Northern District of California
- Southern District of California
- District of Hawaii
- District of Idaho
- District of Nevada
- District of Oregon
- Eastern District of Washington
- Western District of Washington
- United States District Court for the District of Guam
- United States District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands
External links
- Search Google News for this topic
- United States District Court for the District of Montana Official Website
- United States Attorney for the District of Montana Official Website
Footnotes
- ↑U.S. District Court – NH, "Magistrate Judges of the District Court," accessed April 27, 2021
- ↑2.02.1United States Courts, "Frequently Asked Questions," accessed January 25, 2022
- ↑3.03.13.2Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute, "28 U.S. Code § 136 - Chief judges; precedence of district judges," accessed January 25, 2022
- ↑4.04.14.2Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute, "28 U.S. Code § 258 - Chief judges; precedence of judges," accessed January 25, 2022
- ↑5.05.15.2Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute, "28 U.S. Code § 45 - Chief judges; precedence of judges," accessed January 25, 2022
- ↑Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute, "28 U.S. Code § 171 - Appointment and number of judges; character of court; designation of chief judge," accessed January 25, 2022
- ↑7.07.1Federal Judicial Center, "District Court for the District of Montana," accessed April 28, 2021
- ↑US Courts, "Federal Judgeships," accessed May 10, 2021 (archived)
- ↑9.09.1U.S. Courts, "United States District Court Federal Judiciary Frequently Asked Questions," accessed May 10, 2021 (archived)
- ↑United States District Courts, "District Courts," accessed May 10, 2021
- ↑The 'Lectric Law Library, "Understanding the U.S. federal courts"
| |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Active judges | Chief Judge: Brian Morris (Montana) • Susan P. Watters • Bill Mercer | ||
| Senior judges | Donald Molloy • Sam Haddon • Charles Lovell • Dana Christensen • | ||
| Magistrate judges | Timothy Cavan • John Johnston (Montana) • Kathleen DeSoto • | ||
| Former Article III judges | William Henry Hunt (U.S. 9th Circuit Court) • Paul Hatfield • Hiram Knowles • George Bourquin • Carl Rasch • Richard Cebull • Jack Shanstrom • Charles Pray (Montana) • James Harris Baldwin • James Battin • William Jameson (Montana) • William Murray (Montana) • Russell Smith • Robert Lewis Brown • | ||
| Former Chief judges | Paul Hatfield • Richard Cebull • Donald Molloy • Jack Shanstrom • Charles Pray (Montana) • James Battin • William Jameson (Montana) • William Murray (Montana) • Russell Smith • | ||
Federal courts:
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court:District of Montana • U.S. Bankruptcy Court:District of Montana
State courts:
Montana Supreme Court•Montana District Courts•Montana Courts of Limited Jurisdiction•Montana Water Court•Montana Workers' Compensation Court
State resources:
Courts in Montana •Montana judicial elections •Judicial selection in Montana
