FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 20, 2014

CONTACT: Beth McLaughlin
Office of Court Administrator
(406) 841-2966      

 

JUDICIAL NOMINATION COMMISSION SOLICITS APPLICATIONS FOR
 WORKERS’ COMPENSATION COURT JUDGE

 

Chief Justice Mike McGrath has notified the Judicial Nomination Commission that the Hon. Jim Shea has accepted appointment to the Montana Supreme Court and resigned his position as Workers’ Compensation Court judge.  The Commission is now accepting applications from any lawyer in good standing who has the qualifications set forth by law for holding the position of Workers’ Compensation Court judge.  The application form is available electronically at http://courts.mt.gov or by contacting Lois Menzies, Office of Court Administrator at lmenzies@mt.gov.  Applications must be submitted electronically as well as in hard copy. The deadline for submitting applications is 5:00 p.m., Thursday, June 19, 2014. The Commission will announce the names of the applicants thereafter.

The public is encouraged to contact Commission members regarding the applicants during the public comment period, which will begin Monday, June 23, 2014, and close Wednesday, July 23, 2014.

The Commission will forward the names of three to five applicants to the Governor for appointment after reviewing the applications, receiving public comment, and interviewing the applicants if necessary.  The Governor’s appointee is subject to Senate confirmation.  If confirmed, the appointee will serve for the remainder of Judge Shea’s term, which expires in September 2017, and is eligible for reappointment to a six-year term.  The annual salary for the position is $117,600.

The Judicial Nomination Commission members are District Judge Richard Simonton of Glendive; Shirley Ball of Nashua; Mona Charles of Kalispell; Patrick Kelly of Miles City, Lane Larson of Billings, Ryan Rusche of Columbia Falls, and Nancy Zadick of Great Falls.