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Commissioners appoint Sanders County attorneys as special deputies in confidential investigation (Resolution 2025‑34)
Summary
The board adopted Resolution 2025‑34 to appoint the Sanders County Attorney’s Office as special deputy county attorneys to assist with an ongoing DOJ criminal investigation (Case No. 25‑Z00241) where a conflict or appearance of impropriety exists; the resolution specifies reimbursement of reasonable costs but no fee to the county.
The Lincoln County Board of County Commissioners adopted Resolution 2025‑34 on Nov. 19, 2025, appointing the Sanders County Attorney’s Office to serve as special deputy county attorneys to provide assistance and prosecution services in an ongoing Montana Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation matter (Case No. 25‑Z00241).
The resolution, read for the record at the meeting, cites Montana Code Annotated sections authorizing appointment when the county attorney’s office has a conflict or the appearance of impropriety. The resolution names Jan Jania Hatfield and/or deputies from the Sanders County Attorney’s Office in the text and states that the special deputy will serve without fee to Lincoln County, though Lincoln County will reimburse reasonable costs incurred in the course of the investigation or prosecution.
A commissioner moved to approve Resolution 2025‑34 and the board approved the measure by voice vote; the meeting transcript records discussion that the board has used similar appointments in the past when conflicts or perceived conflicts exist, and that details of the investigation are confidential. The resolution directs that the chair sign the document and that it be entered into the official minutes, effective immediately under cited MCA authority.
The board did not discuss case particulars during the public meeting and no further public comment on the matter was reported.
