{"id":2332356,"date":"2024-08-28T07:49:59","date_gmt":"2024-08-28T11:49:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/how-americas-worst-court-blocks-judicial-reform\/"},"modified":"2024-08-28T07:58:57","modified_gmt":"2024-08-28T11:58:57","slug":"how-americas-worst-court-blocks-judicial-reform","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/how-americas-worst-court-blocks-judicial-reform\/","title":{"rendered":"How &#8216;America&#8217;s Worst Court&#8217; Blocks Judicial Reform"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">14<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fhow-americas-worst-court-blocks-judicial-reform%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2332356&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The Montana\u200b Supreme Court \u2064is criticized for\u200c its perceived lack of justice and\u2064 excessive judicial activism,\u200b with constitutional scholar Rob Natelson labeling it &#8220;America\u2019s worst court.&#8221; \u200bThe court has faced backlash for \u200dits\u200b rulings\u200b that some argue undermine legislative\u200c power and align too closely with the interests of the state&#8217;s plaintiff bar. Attorney General Austin Knudsen \u200bhas encountered &#8220;lawfare&#8221; for defending\u200c state laws amidst court overreach, facing numerous ethics\u2062 complaints from the Office of \u2062Disciplinary\u200b Counsel,\u2063 which operates under the court\u2019s supervision. This <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/people-on-turbine-powered-grid-get-a-shocking-notice-when-the-wind-stops-blowing\/\" title=\"Turbine-powered grid users shocked by wind outage notice.\">situation raises concerns<\/a> about\u200d judicial overreach and potential attempts to manipulate \u2063the legal system against political figures.<\/p>\n<p>The court has recently\u2064 drawn attention for a unanimous decision that struck down a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ohio-abortion-opponents-draw-michigan-comparison-to-sound-alarm-on-ballot-initiative\/\" title=\"Ohio abortion opponents are using the example of Michigan to raise concerns about a ballot initiative.\">parental \u200dconsent law<\/a> for minors seeking\u2063 abortions, leading to comparisons with past controversial rulings\u2062 in other states. The justices, particularly Justice Laurie McKinnon, have been accused of engaging in\u200b liberal activism that \u200bclashes with the \u2062Republican-controlled state legislature. Last century&#8217;s activism is echoed as current \u2063courts across Montana&#8217;s judicial system also reflect these trends, including unprecedented rulings on environmental law. Natelson argues that the court\u200c has\u200d a \u200blong-standing history of\u2062 biased rulings and undermining\u200b legislative \u2062authority, contributing to \u200ba \u2062broader perception of dysfunction within the state&#8217;s judicial \u200dsystem.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/i2i.org\/the-troubled-montana-supreme-court\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">According<\/a> to constitutional scholar <a href=\"https:\/\/i2i.org\/author\/rob\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Rob Natelson<\/a>, &ldquo;Montana&rsquo;s [Supreme Court] may be unique for its disregard of basic standards of justice, the extent of its intervention into the state&rsquo;s political life, and its high-handed use of power.&rdquo; Natelson also <a href=\"https:\/\/i2i.org\/americas-worst-court\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">describes<\/a> the Montana Supreme Court&rsquo;s rulings as &ldquo;banana-republic conduct&rdquo; and questions its legal competence. For all these reasons, he <a href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2018\/12\/31\/montana-supreme-court\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">has concluded<\/a> it is &ldquo;America&rsquo;s worst court.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>One elected official, <a href=\"https:\/\/dojmt.gov\/our-attorney-general\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen<\/a>, has been suffering for bravely confronting the state court&rsquo;s wrath and incompetence. Knudsen, a Republican, has become the victim of lawfare for simply doing his job &mdash; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/why-are-men-still-allowed-to-batter-women-in-their-own-sports\/\" title=\"Why Are Men Still Allowed To Batter Women In Their Own Sports?\">defending state laws<\/a> in court. Knudsen was elected as attorney general in 2020 following service for a decade in Montana&rsquo;s state House of Representatives, including two terms as speaker. Due to the Montana Supreme Court&rsquo;s judicial overreach and activism, in recent years the state legislature has <a href=\"https:\/\/dailymontanan.com\/2023\/11\/28\/montana-ag-says-all-counts-in-ethics-complaint-should-be-dismissed\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">skirmished<\/a> with the court over matters such as changing how judicial vacancies are filled (the subject of Senate Bill 140) and access to judicial email records, which had been <a href=\"https:\/\/dailymontanan.com\/2021\/10\/07\/district-judge-rules-against-legislature-in-judicial-subpoena-case\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">subpoenaed<\/a> by the legislature as evidence of inappropriate political activity by the justices.<\/p>\n<p>As attorney general, it is Knudsen&rsquo;s duty to advocate on behalf of the legislature, even if the legislature is trying to make the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/9-key-points-from-trump-campaign-press-conference-on-challenges-to-election-results\/\" title=\"9 Key Points from Trump Campaign Press Conference on Challenges to Election Results\">state supreme court<\/a> more accountable and less intrusive. Not surprisingly, the court justices and their patrons in the plaintiffs&rsquo; bar strongly oppose efforts to lessen the court&rsquo;s power and influence. Just as bar associations in California and other states have become <a href=\"https:\/\/amgreatness.com\/2022\/06\/04\/the-legal-profession-brooks-no-dissent\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">weaponized<\/a> by the left to intimidate and retaliate against conservative lawyers such as <a href=\"https:\/\/tomklingenstein.com\/the-rule-of-law-depends-on-john-eastman\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">John Eastman<\/a>, the attorney discipline body in Montana (called the <a href=\"https:\/\/montanaodc.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Office of Disciplinary Counsel<\/a>) has unleashed a torrent of 41 &ldquo;ethics&rdquo; charges against Knudsen, accusing him of attacking the court&rsquo;s integrity and undermining public respect for the court.<\/p>\n<p>Ominously, the ODC was established by, and operates under the direct supervision of, the Montana Supreme Court. The justices on the court appoint the Disciplinary Counsel (the ODC&rsquo;s prosecutor) and all 14 members of the affiliated Commission on Practice. Incredibly, Knudsen faces potential disbarment for simply representing the legislature in a political fight between two branches of Montana&rsquo;s state government. The state supreme court, which has a direct interest in the separation-of-powers battle, is <a href=\"https:\/\/montanafreepress.org\/2023\/09\/08\/the-ethics-complaint-against-montana-attorney-general-austin-knudsen\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">trying to kneecap<\/a> the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/nevada-trump-campaign-says-clark-county-registrar-joe-gloria-hiding-from-subpoena-service\/\" title=\"Nevada: Trump Campaign Says Clark County Registrar Joe Gloria Hiding From Subpoena Service\">state attorney general<\/a> for doing the job he was elected to perform. Knudsen is currently <a href=\"https:\/\/austinformontana.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">running for reelection<\/a> in spite of the barrage of dubious attacks threatening his law license. Even considering the long history of judicial corruption in other states, this type of lawfare against a sitting state attorney general is unprecedented in America.<\/p>\n<p>Like Texas in the 1980s, the seven-member Montana Supreme Court, elected to eight-year terms by the voters, is <a href=\"https:\/\/dailyinterlake.com\/news\/2014\/oct\/11\/trial-lawyers-have-undue-influence-6\/?=\/&amp;subcategory=201%257CLocal+\/+Community\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">controlled<\/a> by Montana&rsquo;s plaintiff&rsquo;s bar. Texas, the subject of shocking &ldquo;60 Minutes&rdquo; segment in 1987 entitled &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ob3_-Ilf6Vw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Justice for Sale?<\/a>&rdquo;, eventually routed the trial lawyers&rsquo; influence over its high court. Since the 1990s, the state has become a model of <a href=\"https:\/\/texasscorecard.com\/investigations\/the-devils-bargain-how-texans-for-lawsuit-reform-lost-their-way\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">sensible civil justice reform<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalreview.com\/2017\/06\/texas-supreme-court-elected-justices-integrity-california-supreme-court-appointed-politicized\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">centrist judicial rulings<\/a>. This has not yet happened in Montana, where liberal justices are distinctly <a href=\"https:\/\/dailymontanan.com\/2024\/04\/02\/in-wake-of-court-decisions-montana-senate-gop-forms-select-committee-on-judicial-reform\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">out of step<\/a> with the state&rsquo;s Republican-controlled legislature.<\/p>\n<p>For example, the Montana Supreme Court recently <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/legal\/montanas-top-court-strikes-down-parental-consent-law-minors-seeking-abortion-2024-08-14\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">struck down<\/a> &mdash; as unconstitutional under <em>the state&rsquo;s constitution<\/em> &mdash; a 2013 statute that required minors to obtain their parents&rsquo; consent before obtaining an abortion. The ruling was <em>unanimous<\/em>. The decision, in a case captioned <a href=\"https:\/\/juddocumentservice.mt.gov\/getDocByCTrackId?DocId=484894\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Planned Parenthood v. Montana<\/em><\/a>, bears a striking resemblance to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.city-journal.org\/article\/the-arrogance-of-king-george\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">sharply-divided<\/a> 1997 ruling of the California Supreme Court in <a href=\"https:\/\/law.justia.com\/cases\/california\/supreme-court\/4th\/16\/307.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>American Academy of Pediatrics v. Lungren<\/em><\/a>, which likewise rested on the state constitution.<\/p>\n<p>In both cases, the reason for relying on a state constitution was that the U.S. Supreme Court has <em>never<\/em> &mdash; even during the reign of <em>Roe v. Wade<\/em> &mdash; held that minors are entitled to abortions without parental consent. In fact, the U.S. Supreme Court has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/SB862950344806675500\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">often upheld<\/a> laws requiring parental consent for minors&rsquo; abortions. As Justice William Brennan <a href=\"https:\/\/www.law.berkeley.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Brennan-90_HVLR_489.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">urged<\/a> when the heyday of Warren Court activism had come to an end, leftist state court judges sometimes resort to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/SB915129654680740500\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">novel interpretations<\/a> of state constitutions when federal precedents do not produce the <a href=\"https:\/\/lawliberty.org\/grounds-for-concern\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">desired result<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The author of Montana&rsquo;s controversial abortion ruling, <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Laurie_McKinnon\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Baltimore-born<\/a> Justice <a href=\"https:\/\/courts.mt.gov\/courts\/supreme\/about\/bios\/McKinnon\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Laurie McKinnon<\/a>, is Montana&rsquo;s version of California Supreme Court Chief Justice <a href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.org\/news\/article.asp?id=8910\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Rose Bird<\/a>, the <a href=\"https:\/\/scholarship.law.umn.edu\/cgi\/viewcontent.cgi?article=1684&amp;context=concomm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">notorious activist<\/a> whom California voters threw off the court in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/archives\/la-xpm-1986-11-05-mn-15232-story.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">1986 retention election<\/a>. McKinnon is an unabashed leftist whose views frequently clash with the Montana legislature and other GOP elected officials. She has been <a href=\"https:\/\/dailymontanan.com\/2024\/05\/29\/attorney-general-says-supreme-court-justice-should-be-removed-from-transgender-case\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">criticized<\/a> for injudicious participation in a pro-transgender MCLE panel while a case involving transgender rights (an appeal of a state law prohibiting the alteration of birth certificates and drivers licenses to reflect a purported sex change) was pending before the Montana Supreme Court. (The state supreme court later <a href=\"https:\/\/dailymontanan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/DA-24-0318-Final-Disposition_-Dismiss-Not-Stipulated-Entire-Case-Order.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">dismissed the state&rsquo;s appeal<\/a> of an adverse lower court ruling, which overturned the state law under the state constitution.)<\/p>\n<p>In the 2020 case <a href=\"https:\/\/www.supremecourt.gov\/opinions\/19pdf\/18-1195_g314.pdf\"><em>Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue<\/em><\/a>, the U.S. Supreme Court <em>reversed<\/em> a decision of the Montana Supreme Court (<a href=\"https:\/\/i2i.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Espinoza-v.-MT-DOR.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">authored<\/a> by Justice McKinnon). The case involved tax credits enacted by the state legislature that were designed to help students who chose to attend private schools. The Montana Supreme Court struck down the law because the tax credits could be used to attend <em>religious<\/em> schools. The U.S. Supreme Court concluded that &ldquo;the Montana Supreme Court invalidated the program pursuant to a state law provision that expressly discriminates on the basis of religious status.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Accordingly, the Montana Supreme Court&rsquo;s decision violated Montanans&rsquo; First Amendment right to the free exercise of religion. <em>Espinoza<\/em> was <a href=\"https:\/\/i2i.org\/the-troubled-montana-supreme-court\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">not the first time<\/a> the Montana Supreme Court was reversed by the High Court.<\/p>\n<p>Montana&rsquo;s <em>trial courts<\/em> are infected with activism as well. In a ruling that drew national attention, a state district court judge <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/climate-change-youth-montana-trial-c7fdc1d8759f55f60346b31c73397db0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">held<\/a> that state agencies were&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/youth-climate-trial-montana-e0f7ad22e61511ce72bc3ff83e7cd09b\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">violating their constitutional right<\/a>&nbsp;to a clean and healthful environment by allowing fossil fuel development. The decision was <a href=\"https:\/\/hls.harvard.edu\/today\/young-climate-activists-land-tentative-win-in-montana-constitutional-case\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">without precedent<\/a> in the entire United States. According to <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/climate-change-youth-montana-trial-c7fdc1d8759f55f60346b31c73397db0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">AP<\/a>, &ldquo;It marks the first time a U.S. court has ruled against a government for violating a constitutional right based on climate change, said Harvard Law School Professor Richard Lazarus.&rdquo; State officials were <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/youth-climate-lawsuit-montana-supreme-court-faece0aec42abc7f5302c40e31faacea\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">livid<\/a>, and are seeking reversal from the Montana Supreme Court.<\/p>\n<p>Natelson notes that the problems with the Montana Supreme Court &ldquo;are of very long-standing&mdash;extending back at least as far as 1972.&rdquo; In Natelson&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/i2i.org\/the-troubled-montana-supreme-court\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">estimation<\/a>, the court&rsquo;s rulings on ballot issues are &ldquo;heavily biased to the left&rdquo;&nbsp;and in several key cases &ldquo;invaded the province of the legislature.&rdquo; Natelson, who taught at the University of Montana law school for 24 years, suggests that one reason for the court&rsquo;s &ldquo;dysfunction&rdquo; is that:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>The justices created, and ultimately control, the Montana Bar Association, which every Montana lawyer must join. The court is also, for most purposes, the state&rsquo;s only appellate tribunal. It controls the fate of lawyers and their cases to an outsized degree. All this discourages lawyers from discussing the court&rsquo;s deficiencies.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Moreover, Natelson believes that:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>Law firms whose members have contributed to the justices&rsquo; campaigns are permitted to litigate before the court. As a result, Montana judicial races often are dominated by one special interest: trial lawyers. Lawyers who practice before a court should not be allowed to donate to the campaigns of the justices who hear their cases.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>As a result of its remote location, dispersed populace, and <a href=\"https:\/\/i2i.org\/the-troubled-montana-supreme-court\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">other factors<\/a>, Montana lags a few decades behind other states in correcting the <a href=\"https:\/\/i2i.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/The-MT-Supreme-Court-VS-The-Rule-of-Law.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">capture of its judicial branch<\/a>, and Montana&rsquo;s imperial judiciary undermines democratic self-government and even <a href=\"https:\/\/i2i.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/The-MT-Supreme-Court-VS-The-Rule-of-Law.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">hinders the state&rsquo;s economy<\/a>. The rule of law is under siege in Montana.<\/p>\n<p>If this were an episode of &ldquo;Yellowstone,&rdquo; the power-hungry judiciary in Montana would be trying to take Attorney General Austin Knudsen to the &ldquo;train station.&rdquo; Decent public servants don&rsquo;t deserve this kind of persecution, and we all have all have stake in seeing real judicial reform in in one of America&rsquo;s most iconic and dynamic states. &nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p>      Mark Pulliam is a contributing editor to Law and Liberty who blogs at Misrule of Law. He lives in Blount County, Tennessee.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>According to constitutional expert Rob Natelson, the Montana Supreme Court stands out for its blatant disregard for fundamental justice standards, its significant interference in state politics, and its authoritarian exercise of power. He characterizes the court&#8217;s decisions as indicative of &#8220;banana-republic conduct&#8221; and raises doubts about its legal proficiency. Consequently, he has labeled it as &#8220;America&#8217;s worst court.&#8221; One public official facing challenges due to his courageous stance against the court\u2019s incompetence is Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen. A Republican who was elected in 2020 after a decade in the state House of Representatives, including two terms as speaker, Knudsen has become a target of legal warfare simply for fulfilling his role in defending state laws.<\/p>\n<p>In recent years, tensions have escalated between the legislature and the Montana Supreme Court over issues like how judicial vacancies are filled (as seen with Senate Bill 140) and access to judicial email records that were subpoenaed by lawmakers investigating potential political misconduct by justices. As attorney general, Knudsen is obligated to represent legislative interests even when they seek to hold the supreme court accountable for its overreach. Unsurprisingly, justices and their allies within the plaintiffs&#8217; bar oppose any attempts to diminish their influence.<\/p>\n<p>Similar to how left-leaning bar associations in states like California have been used against conservative attorneys such as John Eastman, Montana&#8217;s Office of Disciplinary Counsel (ODC) has launched an onslaught of 41 ethics charges against Knudsen. These accusations claim he undermines respect for the judiciary while merely advocating on behalf of legislative actions aimed at curbing judicial power.<\/p>\n<p>Alarmingly, since it was established under direct oversight from the Montana Supreme Court\u2014where justices appoint both disciplinary counsel and members of related commissions\u2014Knudsen risks disbarment simply for representing legislative interests amid a conflict between branches of government. This unprecedented lawfare against an active state attorney general is particularly striking given America&#8217;s history with judicial corruption.<\/p>\n<p>The seven-member Montana Supreme Court mirrors Texas&#8217; past struggles during which trial lawyers exerted considerable control over high courts; however, Texas eventually overcame this influence through reforms leading to more balanced civil justice rulings since the 1990s\u2014a transformation yet unrealized in Montana where liberal justices often clash with a Republican-led legislature.<\/p>\n<p>For instance, recently ruling unanimously that requiring parental consent before minors can obtain abortions violated state constitutional rights\u2014a decision reminiscent of California\u2019s contentious American Academy of Pediatrics v. Lungren case\u2014the court diverged from U.S. Supreme Court precedents that uphold parental consent laws.<\/p>\n<p>Justice Laurie McKinnon authored this controversial ruling; she embodies activism similar to former California Chief Justice Rose Bird who was ousted by voters due to her extreme views clashing with prevailing political sentiments. McKinnon faced criticism not only for her rulings but also her participation in pro-transgender panels while relevant cases were pending before her court.<\/p>\n<p>In another notable case involving tax credits meant for private school students\u2014which McKinnon ruled unconstitutional because they could be used at religious schools\u2014the U.S. Supreme Court reversed her decision citing violations against Montanans\u2019 First Amendment rights regarding religious freedom.<\/p>\n<p>Montana\u2019s trial courts also exhibit signs of activism; one district judge ruled that fossil fuel development violated citizens\u2019 constitutional right to a clean environment\u2014an unprecedented move nationwide according to experts\u2014and officials are now seeking reversal from higher courts amidst widespread backlash.<\/p>\n<p>Natelson highlights longstanding issues within Montana\u2019s judiciary dating back decades characterized by left-leaning biases affecting ballot measures and encroaching upon legislative authority\u2014all exacerbated by judges controlling local bar associations which lawyers must join thereby stifling open discussions about judicial shortcomings.<\/p>\n<p>Moreover, contributions from law firms linked politically can lead them into litigation before those same judges\u2014a situation compromising impartiality within judicial races dominated by trial lawyer interests.<\/p>\n<p>Due largely to geographic isolation among other factors contributing delays compared with other states addressing similar concerns regarding judiciary integrity\u2014Montana faces challenges undermining democratic governance alongside economic growth prospects.<\/p>\n<p>If depicted through \u201cYellowstone,\u201d one might envision this power-hungry judiciary attempting retribution against Attorney General Austin Knudsen akin taking him metaphorically \u201cto the train station.\u201d Public servants deserve protection from such persecution; thus there exists collective interest advocating genuine reform across one America\u2019s most vibrant states.<\/p>\n<p>Mark Pulliam serves as a contributing editor at Law &amp; Liberty while maintaining his blog Misrule Of Law based out Blount County Tennessee: According To Constitutional Scholar Rob Natelson<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2224,"featured_media":2332357,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Montana_flag.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[546],"tags":[39501,35277,39502],"class_list":["post-2332356","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-federalist","tag-americas-worst-court","tag-judicial-reform","tag-legal-system"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Montana_flag.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2332356","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2224"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2332356"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2332356\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2332357"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2332356"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2332356"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2332356"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}