Montana Supreme Court Chief Thinks Case Loads Are Jeopardizing Justice

An Equal Access to Justice forum is coming to Missoula this Wednesday. Montana Supreme Court Chief Justice Mike McGrath explains who will be on the panel for the forum and what they hope to achieve.

“We’ll have a group of listening panel that will include myself, local District Judge Leslie Halligan, tribal judge, Dean of Law School, and some members of the legislator,” said McGrath. “We are trying to find out what the needs are particularly in the Missoula area, how they are being met and how they are not being met.”

According to McGrath, heavy case loads in Montana are jeopardizing justice.

“The key to a democratic society is we have a way to resolve disputes that are fair and done by a magistrate that’s fair and impartial to both sides, and you get a dispute resolved in a reasonably quick manor,” McGrath said. “We are falling down with providing that service because we don’t have enough judges because case loads are so heavy it creates a problem throughout the community.”

The forum will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. on Wednesday April 20^th, at the Law School. McGrath encourages the public to attend so they can voice their concerns and opinions.