Michele Levine appointed as district court judge, replacing Greg Pinski
Michele Levine has been appointed to fill the judge seat on the 8th Judicial District that was vacated by Greg Pinski in October.
Gov. Steve Bullock announced the appointment on Nov. 6.
Levine, of Great Falls, is a partner at Linnell, Newhall, Martin and Schulke, P.C. and received her Juris Doctorate from The University of Montana Alexander Blewett III School of Law after also receiving a Bachelor of Arts from The University of Montana.
Levine currently serves on the Cascade County Zoning Board of Adjustment. Her application/resume is available here.
Levine was one of the candidates submitted to Bullock for consideration in October.
Commission sends nominations to governor for Pinski’s replacement
The others forwarded to the governor were David J. Grubich and Matthew Stuart Robertson.
The commission’s action follows the close of a 30-day public comment period. Before recommending the nominees to the governor, commission members interviewed the applicants on Oct. 9.
Minutes of those interviews and other information about the candidates is available here.
Pinski resigned this summer to return to private practice.
State soliciting comment on applicants to replace District Court Judge Greg Pinski
Greg Pinski resigned his seat as a district court judge in Cascade County, effective Oct. 2. He was elected in 2012 and again in 2018 to another six-year term.
Pinski resigning as district court judge
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 C. 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.
