A Montana judge clashed with the head of a legislative committee Thursday. The committee could propose reforms to the judicial system.
The Senate Committee on Judicial Oversight said it subpoenaed several members of the Judicial Standards Commission in late August. The committee wanted them to answer questions about their rulemaking process. The commission handles ethics complaints made against judges in Montana.
Lewis and Clark County District Court Judge Mike Menahan was among those summoned by Senate President Jason Ellsworth. Menahan and others argued the committee didn’t properly issue the subpoenas. Menahan also took issue with how long Ellsworth kept the witnesses waiting.
“At what point are you going to ask a question of us?” Menahan asked Ellsworth.
Ellsworth struck his gavel repeatedly.
“You are out of order — and, you are,” he said.
“Mr. President, you have asked me to be here today,” Menahan replied. “What time do you anticipate that I will be called as a witness today?”
The exchange happened hours into the meeting.
Menahan later returned to answer questions from the committee about how the Judicial Standards Commission involves the public in its rulemaking process.
Ellsworth’s judicial oversight committee formed earlier this year following a series of Montana Supreme Court decisions some Republican lawmakers viewed as overreach.
The committee could bring bill proposals to the 2025 Legislature.
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