History / Courts

U.S. District Court for the District of Montana

22 judges have served since Feb 21, 1890. Now: Kathleen Smithgall Lane RWilliam Walter Mercer RBrian Matthew Morris D.

Judges
22
13 R · 9 D
Longest tenure
33 years
Charles Nelson Pray
Current
4 months
Kathleen Smithgall Lane, since Jun 18, 2026
history/court/district-court-for-the-district-of-montanaEvery holder, newest first
+22
1900192019401960198020002020Hiram Knowles · 1890-02-21 – 1904-04-15 · RepublicanWilliam Henry Hunt · 1904-04-19 – 1910-04-09 · RepublicanCarl L. Rasch · 1910-05-02 – 1911-10-15 · RepublicanGeorge M. Bourquin · 1912-03-08 – 1934-03-09 · RepublicanJames Harris Baldwin · 1935-06-04 – 1944-10-26 · DemocratRobert Lewis Brown, Sr. · 1945-04-07 – 1948-04-02 · DemocratWilliam Daniel Murray · 1949-05-09 – 1965-12-31 · DemocratRussell Evans Smith · 1966-03-26 – 1979-05-12 · DemocratCharles C. Lovell · 1985-04-04 – 2000-06-14 · RepublicanSam E. Haddon · 2001-07-25 – 2012-12-31 · RepublicanBrian Matthew Morris · 2013-12-17 – present · DemocratCharles Nelson Pray · 1924-02-08 – 1957-04-10 · RepublicanJames Franklin Battin · 1969-02-27 – 1990-02-13 · RepublicanJack D. Shanstrom · 1990-05-14 – 2001-01-30 · RepublicanRichard F. Cebull · 2001-07-25 – 2013-03-18 · RepublicanSusan Pamela Watters · 2013-12-18 – 2026-06-08 · DemocratKathleen Smithgall Lane · 2026-06-18 – present · RepublicanWilliam James Jameson · 1957-03-28 – 1969-02-27 · RepublicanPaul Gerhart Hatfield · 1979-05-10 – 1996-02-09 · DemocratDonald W. Molloy · 1996-08-01 – 2011-08-16 · DemocratDana Lewis Christensen · 2011-12-06 – 2025-11-07 · DemocratWilliam Walter Mercer · 2025-11-06 – present · Republican
Kathleen Smithgall Lane R
Jun 18, 2026 – present · 4 months · appointed by Donald J. Trump · confirmed 52–46
William Walter Mercer R
Nov 6, 2025 – present · 11 months · appointed by Donald J. Trump · confirmed 52–45
Susan Pamela Watters D
Dec 18, 2013 – Jun 8, 2026 · 12 years · appointed by Barack Obama · senior status Jun 8, 2026 · confirmed 77–19
Brian Matthew Morris D
Dec 17, 2013 – present · 13 years · appointed by Barack Obama · confirmed 75–20
Dana Lewis Christensen D
Dec 6, 2011 – Nov 7, 2025 · 14 years · appointed by Barack Obama · senior status Nov 7, 2025
Sam E. Haddon R
Jul 25, 2001 – Dec 31, 2012 · 11 years · appointed by George W. Bush · senior status Dec 31, 2012 · confirmed 95–0
Richard F. Cebull R
Jul 25, 2001 – Mar 18, 2013 · 12 years · appointed by George W. Bush · senior status Mar 18, 2013 · confirmed 93–0
Donald W. Molloy D
Aug 1, 1996 – Aug 16, 2011 · 15 years · appointed by William J. Clinton · senior status Aug 16, 2011
Jack D. Shanstrom R
May 14, 1990 – Jan 30, 2001 · 11 years · appointed by George H.W. Bush · senior status Jan 30, 2001
Charles C. Lovell R
Apr 4, 1985 – Jun 14, 2000 · 15 years · appointed by Ronald Reagan · senior status Jun 14, 2000
Paul Gerhart Hatfield D
May 10, 1979 – Feb 9, 1996 · 17 years · appointed by Jimmy Carter · senior status Feb 9, 1996
James Franklin Battin R
Feb 27, 1969 – Feb 13, 1990 · 21 years · appointed by Richard M. Nixon · senior status Feb 13, 1990
Russell Evans Smith D
Mar 26, 1966 – May 12, 1979 · 13 years · appointed by Lyndon B. Johnson · senior status May 12, 1979
William James Jameson R
Mar 28, 1957 – Feb 27, 1969 · 12 years · appointed by Dwight D. Eisenhower · senior status Feb 27, 1969
William Daniel Murray D
May 9, 1949 – Dec 31, 1965 · 17 years · appointed by Harry S Truman · senior status Dec 31, 1965
Robert Lewis Brown, Sr. D
Apr 7, 1945 – Apr 2, 1948 · 3 years · appointed by Franklin D. Roosevelt
James Harris Baldwin D
Jun 4, 1935 – Oct 26, 1944 · 9.4 years · appointed by Franklin D. Roosevelt
Charles Nelson Pray R
Feb 8, 1924 – Apr 10, 1957 · 33 years · appointed by Calvin Coolidge · senior status Apr 10, 1957
George M. Bourquin R
Mar 8, 1912 – Mar 9, 1934 · 22 years · appointed by William H. Taft · senior status Mar 9, 1934
Carl L. Rasch R
May 2, 1910 – Oct 15, 1911 · 17 months · appointed by William H. Taft
William Henry Hunt R
Apr 19, 1904 – Apr 9, 1910 · 6 years · appointed by Theodore Roosevelt
Hiram Knowles R
Feb 21, 1890 – Apr 15, 1904 · 14 years · appointed by Benjamin Harrison

Dates are from the Federal Judicial Center (commission to senior status or departure). Consecutive terms of one person are merged.