Court Opinion

ID: 9958302
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2024-04-08 20:07:16.226839+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:18:09.360972
License: Public Domain

ORIGINAL
                                                                                                04/08/2024
            IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF MONTANA

                                          OP 24-0182                                        Case Number: OP 24-0182

MONTANANS SECURING REPRODUCTIVE
RIGHTS and SAMUEL DICKMAN, M.D.,                                   FILED
                                                                    APR - 8 2024
               Petitioners,                                      Bbviveri Greenwood
                                                               Clerk tit Supreme Court
                                                                  StatO    IVIontons

       v.
                                                                        ORDER
 AUSTIN MILES KNUDSEN, in his official
 capacity as MONTANA ATTORNEY GENERAL;
 and CHRISTI JACOBSEN, in her official Capacity
 as MONTANA SECRETARY OF STATE,

               Respondents.

       On April 3, 2024, Petitioners Montanans Securing Reproductive Rights and Samuel
Dickman, M.D. (MSRR), moved this Court for "supplemental relief' in this case. MSRR
alleged that Montana Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen had failed to immediately provide
a finalized petition forrn for its ballot initiative after this Court certified a ballot statement
to Jacobsen.
       MSRR requested three forms of relief: (1) this Court directs the Secretary to
immediately provide to MSRR a finalized petition form that substantially complies with
the format provided in § 13-27-241, MCA, with the language concerning interim
committee review stricken as inapplicable to CI-14; (2) this Court declare that § 13-27-
228, MCA, does not apply to CI-14, may not delay the collection of signatures, and may
not be used to question the collection of otherwise-valid signatures for CI-14; and (3) this
Court retain jurisdiction over this matter through the signature collection process, including
sanctions and contempt powers.
       In our April 3, 2024 Order, we denied the first form of relief MSRR requested,
ruling that the relief requested would, in substance, be a writ of rnandarnus. We explained
that if MSRR wanted this Court to consider issuance of a writ of mandamus, it must follow
the procedure for obtaining such writ.
       On April 4, 2024, MSRR petitioned for writ of mandate. See Montanans Securing
Reproductive Rights v. Jacobsen, No. OP 24-0214. This Court allowed the writ, and on
April 5, 2024, Jacobsen provided MSRR with the finalized petition form MSRR sought.
       Because MSRR has received the ultimate relief it requested—as we allowed the writ
and the Secretary of State provided notice of satisfaction of the writ—we have considered
whether supplemental relief is required in this Original Proceeding or if subsequent actions
have mooted MSRR's request. We conclude that, at this juncture, Jacobsen's compliance
with the writ relieved any further delay in collection of signatures. The supplemental relief
prospectively requested by MSRR is speculative as there are no facts developed regarding
signature collection, the signature collection process, or any interference therewith aside
from the delay in obtaining the finalized petition form which has since been resolved.
       IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that MSRR's request for supplemental relief is
DENIED WITHOUT PREJUDICE.
       IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that this Court's Order requiring Respondents to
prepare, file, and serve a response(s) to MSRR's requests for relief as set forth in (2) and
(3) above, is VACATED.
       The Clerk is directed to provide immediate notice of this Order to counsel for all
parties.
       DATED this 8th day of April, 2024.

                                                                Chief Justice

                                                                    Justices
                                             2