State soliciting comment on applicants to replace District Court Judge Greg Pinski

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The Judicial Nomination Commission is accepting public comment on the six applicants for the position of district court judge in Cascade County to replace Judge Greg Pinski.

Pinski submitted his letter of resignation in July and is vacating the seat on Oct. 2.

Pinski resigning as district court judge

The Commission has received applications from the following attorneys:

  • Steven Brian Bolstad
  • Theresa Lynn Diekhans
  • David J. Grubich
  • Michele Reinhart Levine
  • Matthew Stuart Robertson
  • Sunday Zoie Rossberg

The Commission is now soliciting public comment on the applicants. The applications may be viewed at http://courts.mt.gov/supreme/boards/jud_nomination.

Comments will be accepted until 5 p.m. Sept. 23.

The Commission accepts public comment, either in writing (e-mail or paper) or via telephone at 406-841-2972.

“The Commission finds it helpful if people submitting comment provide information indicating how they know the applicant and describing their experience with the applicant. These comments, which become part of an applicant’s file, will be posted on the Commission’s web page and forwarded to the governor,” according to release from the commission.

Public comment may be submitted to:

Judicial Nomination Commission; c/o Lois Menzies; Office of Court Administrator; P.O. Box 203005; Helena, MT  59620-3005; mtsupremecourt@mt.gov

The Commission will forward the names of three to five nominees to the governor for appointment after reviewing the applications, receiving public comment and interviewing the applicants if necessary. The person appointed by the governor is subject to Senate confirmation during the 2021 legislative session. The position is subject to election in 2022 and the successful candidate will serve for the remainder of Pinski’s term, which expires in January 2025.

Judicial Nomination Commission members are District Judge John Brown of Bozeman; Janice Bishop of Missoula; Karl Englund of Missoula; Elizabeth Halverson of Billings; Hal Harper of Helena; Lane Larson of Billings; and Nancy Zadick of Great Falls.