Advisory Council Formed for 6th Judicial District Vacancy (Montana)
Summary
Montana Governor Greg Gianforte announced an advisory council to assist in reviewing candidates for the 6th Judicial District court vacancy in Park and Sweet Grass Counties. The seven-member council includes attorneys, a former sheriff, a county attorney, a former commissioner, and community representatives. The governor received one application and the public comment period closed on April 16, 2026; applicants must receive at least three letters of support to be considered for appointment.
What changed
Governor Gianforte established a seven-member advisory council to screen candidates for the district court judge vacancy in the 6th Judicial District. The council comprises legal professionals and community representatives. The governor received one application, and applicants must obtain at least three letters of support to qualify for appointment.
This is a routine gubernatorial function affecting only the judicial appointment process in Montana. Legal professionals in Park and Sweet Grass Counties with interest in district court positions may wish to monitor the appointment process, though this announcement creates no compliance obligations for the broader bar.
Archived snapshot
Apr 21, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
Gov. Gianforte Announces Advisory Council for 6th Judicial District Vacancy
Governor's Office
- April 17 2026
HELENA, Mont. – Governor Greg Gianforte today announced an advisory council to assist in reviewing the qualified candidate to fill the district court judge vacancy in the 6th Judicial District (Park and Sweet Grass Counties).
Members of the 6th Judicial District advisory council include:
- Brad Bichler, former Park County sheriff
- Pat Dringman, Sweet Grass County Attorney
- Susie Mosness, former Sweet Grass County commissioner
- Jami Rebsom, attorney in Park County
- Ann Schilling, CASA of Park and Sweet Grass Counties Program Director
- Larry Stephenson, business and community representative in Park County
- Kellie Voyich, attorney in Park County Gov. Gianforte announced in February that he was accepting applications and nominations for the 6th judicial district vacancy of any lawyer in good standing who has the qualifications set forth by law for holding the position of district court judge. The governor received one application.
From Tuesday, March 17, 2026, to Thursday, April 16, 2026, the public was given the opportunity to provide letters of support or other comments regarding the applicant. Applicants must receive at least three letters of support to be considered for appointment by the governor.
Tags:
Parties
Related changes
Get daily alerts for news.mt.gov
Daily digest delivered to your inbox.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime.
About this page
Every important government, regulator, and court update from around the world. One place. Real-time. Free. Our mission
Source document text, dates, docket IDs, and authority are extracted directly from Montana Governor.
The summary, classification, recommended actions, deadlines, and penalty information are AI-generated from the original text and may contain errors. Always verify against the source document.
Classification
Who this affects
Taxonomy
Browse Categories
Get alerts for this source
We'll email you when news.mt.gov publishes new changes.
Subscribed!
Optional. Filters your digest to exactly the updates that matter to you.