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montana supreme court

Montana Supreme Court denies governor’s request to take up property tax case

The Montana Supreme Court dismissed Tuesday a petition from Gov. Greg Gianforte that it take control of a property tax lawsuit over Senate Bill 542. An order signed by all justices said Gianforte had not demonstrated why the matter was so urgent that it needed to bypass the district court

Montana SupCo agrees media coalition can make case for accessing trial documents

A coalition of Montana press outlets will be allowed to make its argument for unsealing court documents in the trial of a man’s alleged killing of four Anaconda residents last summer, following an order from the Montana Supreme Court. The order, handed down last week by Chief Justice Cory

Montana Supreme Court rules news agencies can argue for release of Anaconda shooting documents

Montana Supreme Court rules news agencies can argue for release of Anaconda shooting documents

HELENA, Mont. - The Montana Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that news organizations, including NonStop Local, can argue for the release of sealed documents related to the shooting at the Owl Bar in Anaconda in August 2025. Trial for the alleged shooter, Michael Paul Brown, was set to begin on January

Montana Supreme Court upholds development, zoning reform laws passed in 2023

The Montana Supreme Court has upheld several laws related to a raft of 2023 bills intended to spur development in the state’s bone-dry housing market. A homeowner group called Montanans Against Irresponsible Densification (MAID) challenged the constitutionality of bills that largely set out to remove zoning restrictions on

Montana Supreme Court rules against Bozeman group on housing reform

Montana Supreme Court rules against Bozeman group on housing reform

The Montana Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld a slate of pro-construction housing laws that were proposed by a housing task force established by Gov. Greg Gianforte and enacted by the Legislature in 2023. Justice Beth Baker authored the 34-page opinion, which was unanimous among the court’s seven

Civil liberties groups say state Supreme Court wrongly decided free speech case

The American Civil Liberties Union of Montana and the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression are asking the Montana Supreme Court to reconsider a 2003 decision as it relates to a current free speech case because they said it sets a dangerous precedent by placing addition hurdles for speech to

SupCo reverses AG Knudsen on powers-of-initiative ballot measure

A ballot initiative protecting Montanans’ right to petition to enact laws can proceed, contrary to a finding from Attorney General Austin Knudsen, the Montana Supreme Court said. In a recent 5-2 opinion, the state Supreme Court said the ideas offered in Ballot Initiative 8 operate together, are closely related