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Bill to lift confidentiality on Judicial Standards Commission complainants draws opposition from judges' groups
Summary
Senate Bill 48 would permit complainants to publicly discuss complaints filed with the Judicial Standards Commission; the State Bar and Montana Judges Association testified in opposition, arguing confidentiality protects judges from frivolous allegations and political weaponization.
Senate Bill 48, carried by Sen. Glenn at the request of the Senate Select Committee on Judicial Oversight and Reform, would change current practice by permitting complainants to discuss publicly complaints they file with the Judicial Standards Commission (JSC). The bill was presented as a transparency measure by the sponsor and strongly opposed by the State Bar and Montana Judges Association.
Sponsor Sen. Glenn said the bill responds to an interim-committee finding that citizens who file JSC complaints are prohibited from speaking publicly after filing, which he described as a restraint on free speech. He said…
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