APRIL 10, 2025 -- Since 2006, Gavel to Gavel has tracked state-by-state legislative activity with potential impact on state courts.
Featured State: Montana
- House Judiciary Committee approves series ofSenate-approved bills to:
- Require deliberations and documents of the Supreme Court be recorded and made available to the public;
- Remove Supreme Court’s original jurisdiction for ballot review;
- Provide that the chief justice, not the Supreme Court, appoints the state court administrator;
- Revise legal requirement of standing to maintain a lawsuit;
- Require substitution of district court judges by random selection;
- Revise laws relating to Judicial Standards Commission complaints;
- Provide that membership and paying dues to the State Bar of Montana is voluntary;
- Require constitutional challenges to state laws to be filed in the judicial district of the state legislator that was the primary sponsor of the law being challenged.
- House rejects bill to exempt lawyers serving in certain public offices from professional disciplinary measures and proceedings for actions taken while in office.
Jurisdiction
- ArkansasHouse committee approves bill to remove jurisdiction of trial courts to hear facial constitutional challenges and grants exclusive original jurisdiction to the Court of Appeals.
Salary and Budget
- Arkansas Senate approves bill that finds “[t]he justice system in Arkansas imposes an excessive number of fees on individuals charged with or convicted of crimes or otherwise involved in the justice system” and creates a Justice System Fee Task Force to examine the issue.
Security
- MarylandHouse approves bill to establishminimum adequate security standards for courtroom security at all courthouse facilities.
- MinnesotaHousecommitteeapproves bill to classify judicial officer real property records as private.
- South CarolinaHouse committeeapproves bill to expand and clarify existing law protecting personal contact informationof judges.
Selection
- Arkansas SenateCommittee approves constitutional amendment to end non-partisan judicial races and allow candidates to place their party affiliation next to their name on the ballot.
Other of Special Note
- California and West Virginia legislative committees approve bills on the use of electronic recording technology to develop an official court transcript.