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Chief Justices of Montana


Term Served Chief Justice Informational
2009- Mike McGrath Elected 2008. Previously, Montana Attorney General 2000 - 2008.
2000-2008 Gray, Karla M. Appointed by Governor Stan Stevens 1991. Montana's first elected female Supreme Court Justice in 1992. Montana's first elected female Supreme Court Chief Justice in 2000.
1985-2000 Turnage, J. A. County Attorney, Lake County 1953-1962. Montana House of Representatives 1962-1964. Montana State Senate 1965-1984.
1978-1985 Haswell, Frank I. District Judge 11th Judicial District 1959-1967. Appointed Justice of the Supreme Court 1-8-67 and served until his appointment as Chief Justice to replace Paul G. Hatfield March 10, 1978.
1977-1978 Hatfield, Paul G. District Judge 8th Judicial District 1961-1976. Appointed to the U. S. Senate January 22, 1978. Appointed Federal Judge, May 10, 1979.
1957-1977 Harrison, James T. Appointed Chief Justice January 7, 1957 to replace Hugh R. Adair.
1947-1956 Adair, Hugh R. Lieutenant Governor 1936-1940; Associate Justice 1943-1946; Chief Justice 1947-1956; Associate Justice 1957-1968. Served a total of 25 years on the Supreme Court.
1946-1946 Lindquist, Carl Appointed April 1, 1946 to replace Howard A. Johnson.
1939-1946 Johnson, Howard A. Resigned April 1, 1946.
1938-1939 Goddard, 0. P. Constitutional Convention Delegate 1889; District Judge, 13th Judicial District, 1925-1936. Appointed to replace Justice Walter B. Sands June 20, 1938.
1935-1938 Sands, Walter B. Died in office June 13, 1938.
1922-1935 Callaway, Llewellyn L. District Judge 5th Judicial District 1905-1913. Appointed September 28,1922, to replace Chief Justice Theodore Brantly.
1899-1922 Brantly, Theodore District Judge 3rd Judicial District 1894-1898; Died in office September 16, 1922. Served 23 years and was the longest serving Chief Justice to date.
1893-1899 Pemberton, William Y. Delegate Constitutional Convention, 1866; Delegate Constitutional Convention, 1884; District Judge, 2nd Judicial District, 1890-1893.
1889-1893 Blake, Henry N. Appointed by President Grant as Associate Justice, Territorial Supreme Court 1875-1885; Appointed Chief Justice by President Harrison to replace N. W. McConnell and served until his election to the position in 1889. District Judge, 1st Judicial District 1894-1896. Served as Court Commissioner 1905.
1887-1889 McConnell, N. W. Sworn in May 2, 1887 to replace Decius S. Wade. Resigned March 1, 1889. Appointed by President Cleveland.
1871-1887 Wade, Decius II. Appointed March 17, 1871, by President Grant to replace Henry L. Warren.
1868-1871 Warren, Henry L. Appointed July 18, 1868, by President Johnson to replace Hezekiah Hosmer.
1864-1868 Hosmer, Hezekiah L. Appointed Chief Justice June 30, 1864, by President Lincoln.