Court Opinion

ID: 9954735
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2024-03-26 20:09:35.588674+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:14:18.094869
License: Public Domain

03/26/2024
            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.,

              Petitioners,

       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.
                                     _________________

       Petitioners Montanans Securing Reproductive Rights and Samuel Dickman, M.D.
(MSRR), seek declaratory judgment on original jurisdiction under M. R. App. P. 14(4).
Petitioners argue they are entitled to declaratory judgment that declares: (1) the Attorney
General’s proposed ballot statement for Constitutional Issue 14 (CI-14) is argumentative,
prejudicial, and inaccurate under § 13-27-212(1), MCA; and (2) MSRR’s proposed ballot
statement is clear and impartial and the Attorney General should have approved it under
§ 13-27-226(3)(c), MCA. MSRR further asks the Court to directly certify its ballot
statement to the Montana Secretary of State immediately upon this Court’s decision on this
matter. MSRR further requests expedited review of this matter so that it may commence
signature gathering as soon as possible.
       Having reviewed the Petition, this Court deems it appropriate to obtain a summary
response. Therefore, in accordance with M. R. App. P. 14(7),
       IT IS ORDERED that Respondents are granted until the close of business on Friday,
March 29, 2024, to prepare, file, and serve a response(s) to the petition for declaratory
judgment on original jurisdiction.
       The Clerk is directed to provide notice of this Order to counsel for all parties.

                                                                                Electronically signed by:
                                                                                    Ingrid Gustafson
                                                                           Justice, Montana Supreme Court
                                                                                     March 26 2024