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Panel outlines youth court practices and implications for HJR 23 at Law and Justice meeting
Summary
Judges, county attorneys, public defenders and juvenile probation officers briefed the committee on youth-court procedures tied to House Joint Resolution 23; members pressed for procedural clarifications and public commenters responded.
A stakeholder panel addressing House Joint Resolution 23 convened at the Law and Justice Interim Committee meeting on Nov. 19, 2025, in Missoula. Presenters included Kelly Norton, deputy juvenile probation officer for Missoula County Youth Court; Meghan Benson, managing public defender for the Missoula region; Mark Handelman, deputy county attorney; Judges Jason Marks and Jennifer Lint; and Christine Kowalski, chief juvenile probation officer. The panel summarized current youth-court services and discussed how proposed statutory changes would affect case processing and service delivery.
Committee members asked detailed procedural questions. Rep. Amy Regier and Rep. Steven Kelly probed caseflow and service availability; Judge Jennifer Lint and Chief Juvenile Probation Officer Christine Kowalski clarified operational limits and existing practices. The panel addressed how youth-court diversion and probation interact with public defense and county attorney responsibilities.
Public comment followed the panel presentation. Speakers included Nicole Otto, May Simmons and Diane Rotering, who offered community perspectives on youth services and court processes. The committee requested additional staff follow-up on procedural impacts and data to inform any draft changes related to HJR 23.
