Hear from candidates for the MT Supreme Court

There are four candidates running for the MT Senate, two fighting for the Chief Justice position and two for Seat #3. Read on to hear their responses to the Exponent’s 2024 candidate questionnaire.

Candidates were given three weeks to respond to the questionnaire and were given word counts for each response. Not all of the candidates responded despite multiple emails and phone calls by Exponent staff, and by no means is this an exhaustive account of all of the policy positions and ideas supported by each candidate in a particular race. It is the Exponent’s hope, however, that this concise guide to candidates’ ideas in their own words can serve as a useful resource for voters to decide who they want to vote for. All photos were provided by the candidates’ respective campaigns.

MT Supreme Court Chief Justice

Candidates: Jerry Lynch, Cory Swanson

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Jerry Lynch

Would you be able to provide a brief biography of yourself?

Lynch: I was born in Butte. I have degrees in biology and zoology from Carroll and MSU, and a law degree from UM. My legal career consisted of clerking for Judge Paul Hatfield, private practice representing civil litigants, and two terms as a federal Magistrate Judge.

What are your top three priorities if elected, and how do you plan to address them? 

Lynch: A Justice on the Montana Supreme Court must reliably issue rulings based on the facts of a case and the existing law, insist that the third branch of government remain co-equal, nonpartisan, and independent, and ensure every law that is enforced in Montana has its footing in our constitution My top priorities are to maintain the independence of the Judiciary as a co-equal branch of our government, which is necessary to provide a check and balance on the Legislative and Executive branches, and to protect Montana’s remarkable Constitution. The system of checks and balances envisioned by the framers of our 1972 Constitution was designed to preserve the power of the people and to protect the individual rights guaranteed to them by that founding document. I also think it is imperative that we strive to realize the aspirational goal of equal access to the courts for all citizens, regardless of their social or economic standing. Realization of that goal will take two things always in short supply: time and money. I will do everything in my power to advocate for adequate resources for our third branch of government.

Why should MSU students, faculty and staff vote for you? 

Lynch: I retired from the bench in 2019, but I could not stand by and watch the assaults on our courts by political extremists and out-of-state corporate interests. I am motivated to be the Chief Justice not by personal ambition or partisan interest but by a deep commitment to the Montana Constitution and a desire to ensure the rights it secures continue to be enjoyed by future generations. I think the courts will continue to face accusations of partisanship and attempts by the other branches of government to undermine their independence. If elected, I will decide cases based only on the facts and the law, I will assert the independence of the judiciary and I will interpret and apply the Montana Constitution in a strictly nonpartisan manner.

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Cory Swanson

As of press time, Swanson had not responded to the Exponent’s questionnaire. Responses submitted after press time will be published on msuexponent.com.

MT Supreme Court Seat #3

Candidates: Katherine Bidegaray, Dan Wilson

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Katherine Bidegaray

Would you be able to provide a brief biography of yourself? 

Bidegaray: I was born in Sidney, Montana, and raised on a farm/ranch. After graduating from  Culbertson High School, I earned undergraduate and law degrees from the University of  Montana. I practiced law for 18 years and have been a District Court Judge for over 21 years in Montana’s 7th Judicial District.

What are your top three priorities if elected, and how do you plan to address  them? 

Bidegaray: My top three priorities are to preserve the rule of law, ensure a fair and impartial judiciary,  and strengthen public confidence in the judiciary. First, I will safeguard the rule of law by consistently applying the Montana and U.S. Constitutions, along with established legal  precedents, to the relevant facts of each case. This will ensure that decisions are made  based on the law, not political pressures or external influences. Second, I am committed to  keeping the judiciary impartial. Politics has no place in the courtroom, and I will continue to  base my rulings solely on the law and facts, without bias or favoritism. Third, I aim to enhance public trust in the judiciary, particularly the Montana Supreme Court. Confidence in the judicial system is essential for maintaining the balance of power between the three branches of government. Without that trust, the integrity of our democracy is at risk. I will help maintain a judiciary that Montanans can rely on by upholding fairness, impartiality and transparency.

Why should MSU students, faculty, and staff vote for you?

Bidegaray: MSU students, faculty, and staff should vote for me because I have the experience, integrity, and impartiality needed to protect the rights enshrined in Montana’s Constitution. With 18 years of legal practice and over 21 years as a District Court Judge, I am committed  to upholding our state’s constitutional protections for privacy, education, public lands and a clean environment. I will always prioritize fairness and impartiality, keep politics out of  the courtroom, and ensure that every Montanan is treated equally under the law. As a proud mother of five MSU graduates, I understand the importance of education and the  need to safeguard the unique rights and values that Montanans hold dear. Your vote for me is a vote for experience, integrity, and a judiciary that works for all Montanans.

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Dan Wilson

Would you be able to provide a brief biography of yourself? 

Wilson: I live in Kalispell with my wife of 28 years, Tia, a manager employed at the Flathead Electric Cooperative. I have been a Montana attorney for more than 30 years and a judge for more than 13 years, with experience handling cases in all areas of the law.

What are your top three priorities if elected, and how do you plan to address them?

Wilson: First, I would maintain and elevate the Supreme Court as the branch of government having the full and final responsibility for interpreting and enforcing the provisions of the Montana Constitution and all the individual rights it guarantees. I would accomplish this by interpreting and applying the Constitution and all its provisions and rights according to the plain meaning of the Constitution and according to the established precedents of the Supreme Court.

Second, I would join with my colleagues in opinions which establish legal precedents rooted firmly in the rule of law and based on the plain language of the Constitution and all relevant rights and laws. Specifically, I would author or join in opinions which are free from the influences of special interests and politics, however slight.

Third, I would increase the transparency of the workings of the Supreme Court by urging my colleagues to conduct more public hearings. The Montana Supreme Court should increase its standing and regard among Montanans by conducting more of its deliberations in public and fewer of its decision-making processes in secret.

Why should MSU students, faculty and staff vote for you? 

Wilson: As a judge, I have a proven track record of making decisions based solely on the facts and the law according to the Constitution, free from the influences of special interests and politics. My experience as a lawyer ranged across the spectrum of legal practice from criminal cases to private disputes of nearly every type. As an attorney, I have a long history of representing clients regardless of their status in the community or their ability to pay. I am committed to the cause of justice, first and foremost, and I have learned through the ups and downs of a life spent in the law that, while the law always aspires to the highest principles of fairness and justice, the rule of law is truly about the lives of the people it affects.