Representative Winter, Missoula County opposes HB 157: Generally revise laws related to disqualification of judges, up for hearing tomorrow in the State Administration Committee. The bill would require staff to review the list of attorneys on every case before their judge and compare it to the campaign contributions their judge has received in every election they've ever participated in. In addition, individual lawyers move from firm to firm throughout their career - under this bill, a judge would have to recuse themselves if the lawyer ever worked for a firm that had contributed to one of their campaigns, information the staff would have to track down. For context, Justice Courts see thousands of cases each year. In addition, they see original arraignments which will result in the need to increase staff to ensure that a review of each case file can happen prior to the initial appearance, which can sometimes occur in as little as a few hours.
The Montana Association of Clerks of District Court has no concerns with this bill relative to the duties of the Clerk of District Court.
ReplyDeleteSent February 6:
ReplyDeleteRepresentative Winter,
Missoula County opposes HB 157: Generally revise laws related to disqualification of judges, up for hearing tomorrow in the State Administration Committee. The bill would require staff to review the list of attorneys on every case before their judge and compare it to the campaign contributions their judge has received in every election they've ever participated in. In addition, individual lawyers move from firm to firm throughout their career - under this bill, a judge would have to recuse themselves if the lawyer ever worked for a firm that had contributed to one of their campaigns, information the staff would have to track down. For context, Justice Courts see thousands of cases each year. In addition, they see original arraignments which will result in the need to increase staff to ensure that a review of each case file can happen prior to the initial appearance, which can sometimes occur in as little as a few hours.
Please oppose HB 157.