Montana Supreme Court

The Montana Supreme Court is the highest court in Montana. Its justices are chosen by nonpartisan election. This page lists every justice to serve on the court, current and former, with when they joined the bench and whom they succeeded.

Current bench verified against the court’s official roster, 2026-07-02.

Current justices

• CSChief JusticeCory Swanson2025
• JR Jim Rice2001
• BB Beth Baker2010
• LM Laurie McKinnon2013
• JS James J. Shea2014
• IG Ingrid Gustafson2018
• KB Katherine M. Bidegaray2025

Former justices

Justice	Years
MWMike Wheat	2010
MMMike McGrath	2009–2016
BMBrian Matthew Morris	2005–2013
JWJohn Warner	2003–2009
PCPatricia O'Brien Cotter	2001–2016
JRJames Regnier	1997–2004
CECharles E. Erdmann	1995–1998
WLW. William Leaphart	1995–2011
JNJames C. Nelson	1993–2012
KGKarla M. Gray	1991–2008
TTTerry Trieweiler	1990–2003
DBDiane G. Barz	1989–1990
RMR. C. McDonough	1987–1993
WHWilliam E. Hunt Sr.	1985–2000
JTJean A. Turnage	1985–2000
LGLeslie C. Gulbrandson	1983–1989
FMFrank B. Morrison Jr.	1981–1987
FWFred J. Weber	1981–1995
JSJohn C. Sheehy	1978–1990
Paul Gerhart Hatfield	1977–1978
DSDaniel J. Shea	1977–1985
GDGene B. Daly	1970–1983
JBJohn W. Bonner	1969–1970
FHFrank I. Haswell	1967–1985
SDStanley M. Doyle	1961–1967
JHJohn C. Harrison	1961–1998
WCWesley Castles	1957–1977
JHJames T. Harrison	1957–1977
HDHorace S. Davis	1954–1957
FAForrest H. Anderson	1953–1957
RBRaymond V. Bottomly Sr.	1949–1961
HFHarrison J. Freebourn	1949–1954
ICIsaac W. Choate	1947–1949
FGFred L. Gibson	1947–1949
LMLee Metcalf	1947–1953
CLCarl Lindquist	1946–1946
ECEdwin K. Cheadle	1945–1962
AAAlbert R. Adair	1943–1969
AAAlbert Anderson	1940–1946
RARalph Arnold	1939–1941
HJHoward A. Johnson	1939–1946
CMClaude F. Morris	1935–1947
AAAlbert H. Angstman	1929–1961

How a justice reaches this court. Justices of the Montana Supreme Court are chosen in nonpartisan elections to 8-year terms. Justices are elected in statewide nonpartisan elections; an unopposed incumbent instead faces a yes-or-no retention vote. Selection methods vary by jurisdiction and have changed over time; this page reflects the court’s current method (source: National Center for State Courts). Open any justice to see their tenure and whom they succeeded.

Source: Current roster: Montana Judicial Branch – Supreme Court Justice Biographies and CourtListener / Free Law Project (bulk data); selection method from the National Center for State Courts. Data as of 2026-07-02 (official roster); historical bench 2026-03-31 (CourtListener bulk snapshot). Verify against the primary source before relying. Not a consumer report (FCRA).