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Chief justice and bar groups warn against shrinking Montana Supreme Court in HB322 hearing
Summary
Sponsor Lucas Schubert said cutting the Supreme Court from seven to five justices would save about $1.2 million; the chief justice, past justices and bar groups warned the change would create backlogs, delay opinions and may raise constitutional questions about whether the legislature can reduce court size.
Representative Lucas Schubert opened House Bill 322 by arguing a smaller Supreme Court would save roughly $1.2 million annually and reduce ‘‘bureaucracy.’’ Schubert said several states with similar populations operate five‑member high courts and that an incoming chancery/intermediate court could mitigate workload concerns.
Chief Justice Corey Swanson and a broad coalition of opponents — including the Montana County Attorneys Association, the State Bar, defense lawyers and former Justice Patricia Cotter — urged the…
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