Montana Supreme Court Dismisses Misconduct Case Against Attorney General

Sat Jan 03 2026 05:35:37 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

The Montana Supreme Court has dismissed a misconduct case against Attorney General Austin Knudsen, who faced sanctions for defying court orders related to a law enhancing gubernatorial power over the judiciary.

In a ruling announced Wednesday, the Montana Supreme Court dismissed a misconduct case against State Attorney General Austin Knudsen, despite agreeing he violated professional conduct rules. The case arose from Knudsen's defense of a law giving the governor the authority to appoint judges directly, which he claimed was part of a political stunt. The court's decision was influenced by process violations during the handling of the case.

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — On Wednesday, the Montana Supreme Court dismissed a misconduct complaint against Attorney General Austin Knudsen, who had been accused of defying court orders concerning a 2021 law that expanded the governor's power to appoint judges.

A court-appointed panel previously recommended a 90-day suspension of Knudsen's license after finding that he had damaged the justices' integrity while protecting the legislative act. This involved accusations of judicial misconduct against the Supreme Court justices themselves by Knudsen's office.

While the court acknowledged that Knudsen had breached rules of professional conduct, they judged that his rights to due process had been infringed upon, particularly when the expert witness he proposed was excluded from the proceedings.

Knudsen welcomed the court's ruling, labeling the complaint against him as politically motivated: I appreciate the Supreme Court bringing this frivolous complaint to a long-overdue conclusion, he stated. This was nothing more than a political stunt.

Chief Justice Cory Swanson noted that the court's decision also serves as a public warning to all Montana attorneys to adhere to court mandates.

Furthermore, the court firmly rejected Knudsen's argument that as Attorney General, he was beyond disciplinary proceedings. Justice Bidegaray dissented, advocating for public censure and a 30-day suspension for the attorney general.

The full details of the court's decision emphasize that ethical behavior is crucial for all members of the legal profession, including supervisory roles like that of the attorney general.