The Montana Supreme Court today upheld the constitutionality of SB 140. SB 140 is a recently enacted law that abolished the Judicial Nomination Commission, the commission that was responsible for screening applicants for vacancies on the Supreme Court and District Courts and forwarding nominees to the Governor for appointment to those vacancies. SB 140 replaced the Commission with a process that allows the Governor to consider any applicant who received a letter of support from at least three adult Montana residents during a prescribed public comment period.

The Judicial Nomination Commissi...