Court Opinion

ID: 9918775
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2024-01-16 17:06:06.618267+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:05:28.924231
License: Public Domain

01/16/2024

AMY D. CHRISTENSEN                              ORIGINAL
CHRISTENSEN & PREZEAU, PLLP                                                   Case Number: PR 24-0035
THE MONTANA CLUB BUILDING
24 W. 6'n AVENUE, SUITE 501
HELENA, MT 59601
(406) 442-3690 (PHONE)
(406) 603-4008 (FAx)
                                                                   JAN 1 6 2024
amyAcplawmt.com                                                  Bowen   Greenwood

PROSECUTING ATTORNEY

       IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF MONTANA

                                      * * * *

INQUIRY CONCERNING                      ) No.
COMPLAINT OF JUDICIAL                    )
STANDARDS COMMISSION                     )
OF THE STATE OF MONTANA,                ))      FORMAL COMPLAINT
                 Complainant,

      vs.

JUDGE DEBORAH KIM
CHRISTOPHER,

                 Respondent.

      COMES NOW Amy D. Christensen, Prosecuting Attorney appointed by the

Judicial Standards Commission of the State of Montana, and, on behalf of the

Judicial Standards Commission, does hereby make formal complaint against Judge

Deborah Kim Christopher, a judicial officer of the State of Montana, as follows:
      1.     Judge Christopher is a duly elected district judge of the Montana

,Twentieth Judicial District, Lake and Sanders Counties.

      2.     This judicial disciplinary matter arises from allegations that Judge

Christopher failed to diligently perform her judicial and administrative duties.

      3.     Judge Christopher cancelled as many as nineteen Law and Motion days

in 2021. While some of the cancellations were related to court business, judicial

meetings, or holidays, six of the cancellations were for personal reasons that lacked

consistent explanation and documentation.

      4.     Judge Christopher cancelled as many as eleven Law and Motion days

in 2022, not including fourteen Law and Motion days covered by retired judges

during an absence occasioned by her medical illness. Five of the cancellations were

for reasons that lacked consistent explanation and documentation. Two additional

cancellations were for personal, non-medical reasons and were initiated within days

after she returned from an almost three-month medical absence.

      5.     Judge Christopher failed to adequately communicate about her absence

and need for coverage of her docket when she became ill in April 2022. On April

20, 2022, Judge Christopher issued an administrative notice that thirteen judges from

around the state would have "jurisdiction over any matters requiring judicial action."

Judge John Larson (Ret.) provided limited coverage of Law and Motion days on or

around April 26, 2022, but it was not until the Montana Supreme issued an Order

                                        Page 2                   FORMAL COMPLAINT
activating Judge Karen Townsend (Ret.) on May 12, 2022, that there was regular

and consistent coverage for Judge Christopher's caseload.

      6.    Rule 2.5 of the Montana Code of Judicial Conduct provides that a j udge

"shall perform judicial and administrative duties competently and diligently."

      7.    Judge Christopher's conduct violated Rule 2.5 in that she failed to

timely and adequately arrange for coverage when she became ill and failed to attend

to regularly scheduled Court business, in many cases for indeterminate reasons.

      8.    Judge Christopher's conduct warrants disciplinary action in accordance

with the Rules of the Judicial Standards Commission of the State of Montana.

      DATED this 16th day of January, 2024.

                                      44G)„_7(  a tA:tx
                                      Amy D".? Christensen

                                       Page 3                  FORMAL COMPLAINT
                        CERTIFICATE OF MAILING

    I hereby certify that on the 16th day of January, 2024 a copy of the foregoing
FORMAL COMPLAINT was served as follows:
      Clerk of Court
      Montana Supreme Court
      215 N. Sanders, Room 323
      P.O. Box 203003
      Helena, MT 59620-3003
      Hand Delivered

      Hon. Deborah Kim Christopher
      20th Judicial District Court
      106 Fourth Avenue East
      Polson, MT 59860
      Mailed via USPS

                                      Page 4                  FORMAL COMPLAINT