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No. 13006 I N T E SUPREME COURT O THE STATE O M N A A H F F OTN T E STATE O M N A A ex r e 1 H F OTN, JERRY LEE LANE, Relator, T E DISTRICT C U T O THE FOURTH JUDICIAL H OR F F OTN, DISTRICT O THE STATE O M N A A I N AND F FOR T E COUNTY O MISSOULA, and THE HONORABLE H F GARDNER BROWNLEE, a D i s t r i c t Court Judge t h e r e o f , Respondents. ORIGINAL PROCEEDING: Counsel of Record: For R e l a t o r : Hon. Robert L. Woodahl, Attorney General, Helena, Montana Lon Maxwell argued, A s s i s t a n t Attorney General, Helena, Montana Goldman, McChesney and Eck, Missoula, Montana Harold L. McChesney argued, Missoula, Montana For Respondents: G a r l i n g t o n , Lohn and Robinson, Missoula, Montana Gary L. Graham argued, Missoula, Montana Submitted: Filed : a! ,fYf : 1YJS T. Decided : A p r i l 28, 1975 MAY ] 2 1975 Mr. J u s t i c e Wesley C a s t l e s d e l i v e r e d t h e Opinion of t h e C o u r t . T h i s i s a n o r i g i n a l p r o c e e d i n g wherein t h e r e l a t o r s e e k s a w r i t of mandamus t o d i r e c t t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t and t h e judge t h e r e o f , t h e Honorable E. Gardner Brownlee, of t h e f o u r t h j u d i c i a l d i s t r i c t , Missoula County, t o c a l l i n a d i s t r i c t judge t o p r e s i d e and t o p r o h i b i t t h e r e s p o n d e n t judge from p r e s i d i n g i n f u r t h e r m a t t e r s i n Missoula County c a u s e No. 40723, Lane v . N e w York L i f e I n s u r a n c e Company. R e l a t o r , a s p l a i n t i f f , f i l e d a n a f f i d a v i t of d i s q u a l i f i c a t i o n of t h e r e s p o n d e n t judge. Judge Brownlee made a n o r d e r q u a s h i n g t h e a f f i d a v i t and s e . t t h e c a s e f o r t r i a l . In the order quashing t h e a f f i d a v i t f o r d i s q u a l i f i c a t i o n , i n s o f a r a s t h e i s s u e s h e r e a r e c o n c e r n e d , t h e d i s t r i c t judge gave a s h i s r e a s o n s t h a t s e c t i o n 9 3 - 9 0 1 ( 4 ) , R.C.M. 1947, [ t h e s o - c a l l e d f a i r t r i a l l a w o r t h e d i s q u a l i f i c a t i o n s t a t u t e ] was u n c o n s t i t u t i o n a l under t h e 1972 Montana C o n s t i t u t i o n . Those r e a s o n s a r e t h e i s s u e s r a i s e d i n t h i s o r i g i n a l p r o c e e d i n g and may be s t a t e d : (1) Does t h e J u d i c i a l S t a n d a r d s Commission p r o v i d e d f o r 1 by A r t i c l e V I I , S e c t i o n 1 o f t h e 1972 C o n s t i t u t i o n , s u p p l a n t t h e f a i r t r i a l law i n t h a t S e c t i o n 6 of t h e T r a n s i t i o n Schedule provides : * * * A l l l a w s , o r d i n a n c e s , r e g u l a t i o n s and r u l e s of c o u r t n o t c o n t r a r y t o , o r i n c o n s i s t e n t w i t h , t h e provisions of t h i s Constitution s h a l l remain i n f o r c e , u n t i l t h e y s h a l l e x p i r e by t h e i r own l i m i t a t i o n o r s h a l l be a l t e r e d o r r e p e a l e d pursuant t o t h i s Constitution." Respondent t h e n r e a s o n s t h a t t h e c o n v e r s e i s t r u e and t h a t s e c t i o n 93-901(4) i s i n c o n s i s t e n t w i t h t h e 1 9 7 2 C o n s t i t u t i o n and t h u s repealed. (2) That A r t i c l e V I I , S e c t i o n 2 of t h e 1972 Montana Con- s t i t u t i o n g r a n t s t h e Supreme C o u r t power t o a d o p t r u l e s , and t h e Supreme Court has n o t done s o . (3) That d i s t r i c t judges a r e w i t h o u t power t o c a l l i n o t h e r judges t o h e a r c a s e s from which t h e y have been d i s q u a l i f i e d , i n t h a t o n l y t h e Chief J u s t i c e under A r t i c l e V I I , S e c t i o n 6 ( 3 ) may do s o . A s t o the f i r s t issue, Article V I I , S e c t i o n 1 of t h e 1 1972 Montana C o n s t i t u t i o n p r o v i d e s : " S e c t i o n 11. Removal and d i s c i p l i n e . (1) The legislature s h a l l create a judicial standards c o m ~ i s s i o nc o n s i s t i n g of f i v e p e r s o n s and prov i d e f o r t h e appointment t h e r e t o of two d i s t r i c t j u d g e s , one a t t o r n e y , and two c i t i z e n s who a r e n e i t h e r judges nor a t t o r n e y s . " ( 2 ) The commission s h a l l i n v e s t i g a t e c o m p l a i n t s , make r u l e s implementing t h i s s e c t i o n , and keep i t s p r o c e e d i n g s c o n f i d e n t i a l . I t may subpoena w i t n e s s e s and documents. " ( 3 ) Upon recommendation of t h e commission, t h e supreme c o u r t may: " ( a ) R e t i r e any j u s t i c e o r judge f o r d i s a b i l i t y t h a t s e r i o u s l y i n t e r f e r e s w i t h t h e performance o f h i s d u t i e s and i s o r may become permanent; o r " ( b ) Censure, suspend, o r remove any j u s t i c e o r judge f o r w i l l f u l misconduct i n o f f i c e , w i l l f u l and p e r s i s t e n t f a i l u r e t o perform h i s d u t i e s , o r h a b i t u a l intemperance." S e c t i o n s 93-718 t h r o u g h 93-728, R.C.M. 1947, implement S e c t i o n 1 of A r t i c l e V I I of t h e 1 9 7 2 C o n s t i t u t i o n by c r e a t i n g 1 a j u d i c i a l s t a n d a r d s commission t o i n i t i a t e a n i n v e s t i g a t i o n o f any j u d i c i a l o f f i c e r of t h e s t a t e upon good c a u s e shown by a v e r i f i e d w r i t t e n c o m p l a i n t f i l e d by any c i t i z e n o f t h e s t a t e w i t h t h e commission. VII, The c o n v e n t i o n n o t e t o S e c t i o n 11, A r t i c l e s t a t e s t h e purpose of t h e new c o n s t i t u t i o n a l p r o v i s i o n . "New p r o v i s i o n . A j u d i c i a l s t a n d a r d s commission may i n v e s t i g a t e whenever a judge, b e c a u s e o f d i s a b i l i t y o r bad h a b i t s , d o e s n o t perform h i s d u t i e s p r o p e r l y . The commission c a n recommend t o t h e supreme c o u r t t h a t t h e judge be r e t i r e d , c e n s u r e d , suspended o r removed." The presumption of v a l i d i t y a t t e n d s e v e r y l e g i s l a t i v e enactment and t h e burden of p r o v i n g i n v a l i d i t y of a s t a t u t e rests upon one a t t a c k i n g t h e s t a t u t e . See S t a t e v . Henrich, 162 Mont. 1 1 4 , 509 P.2d 288; S t a t e v . P a r k e r , 1 6 1 Mont. 394, 506 P.2d 850; and S t a t e Highway Commission v . Chapman, 152 Mont. 79, 446 P.2d S e c t i o n 6 of t h e 1972 Montana C o n s t i t u t i o n t r a n s i t i o n schedule provides: (I) * * * A l l "Section 6 . General t r a n s i t i o n . l a w s , o r d i n a n c e s , r e g u l a t i o n s , a n d r u l e s of c o u r t n o t c o n t r a r y t o , o r i n c o n s i s t e n t w i t h , t h e prov i s i o n s of t h i s C o n s t i t u t i o n s h a l l remain i n f o r c e , u n t i l t h e y s h a l l e x p i r e by t h e i r own l i m i t a t i o n o r s h a l l be a l t e r e d o r r e p e a l e d p u r s u a n t t o t h i s C o n s t i t u t i o n . 'I The f o l l o w i n g c o n v e n t i o n n o t e s t a t e s : "Unless t h e proposed c o n s t i t u t i o n s p e c i f i c a l l y changes a law i t w i l l n o t a f f e c t any r i g h t s o r d u t i e s o r t h e v a l i d i t y o f c o n t r a c t s , bonds, e t c . & * *I' N e i t h e r A r t i c l e V I I , S e c t i o n 6 , of t h e 1972 Montana Cons t i t u t i o n n o r s t a t u t e s implementing i t , s p e c i f i c a l l y c h . ; f i g e t h e e x i s t i n g s t a t u t o r y o r d e c i s i o n a l law u p h o l d i n g t h e r i g h t o f a p a r t y o r l i t i g a n t , personally, o r through h i s a t t o r n e y , t o d i s q u a l i f y a d i s t r i c t judge by f i l i n g a n a f f i d a v i t o f d i s q u a l i f i c a tion. On J u l y 1 6 , 1973, t h i s C o u r t a d o p t e d t h i s o r d e r : "Under A r t . V I I , Sec. 2 , C o n s t i t u t i o n of t h e S t a t e of Montana of June 6 , 1972, t h i s C o u r t a d o p t s a l l o f i t s r u l e s of a p p e l l a t e p r o c e d u r e , p r a c t i c e and procedure f o r a 1 1 o t h e r c o u r t s , admission t o t h e b a r and t h e c o n d u c t of i t s members, t h o s e l e g i s l a t i v e a c t s a p p e a r i n g i n R.C.M. 1947 and Montana Rules of C i v i l P r o c e d u r e and Montana Rules of A p p e l l a t e P r o c e d u r e , and R u l e s f o r Admission t o t h e Bar and Canons of E t h i c s a s t h e y were p u b l i s h e d , a d o p t e d and i n e f f e c t a s o f J u l y 1, 1973, o r t o become e f f e c t i v e by l e g i s l a t i v e a c t i o n w i t h a p p r o v a l of t h e Governor a t a l a t e r d a t e a s t h o s e a c t i o n s a p p e a r i n t h e S e s s i o n Laws o f 1973." This C o u r t ' s d e c i s i o n i n State ex rel. Peery v. D i s t r i c t C o u r t o f t h e F o u r t h J u d i c i a l D i s t r i c t , 145 Mont. 287, 4 0 0 P.2d 648, wherein Judge Brownlee was one of t h e r e s p o n d e n t s , c o n f i r m s t h e c o n s t i t u t i o n a l i t y of s e c t i o n 9 3 - 9 0 1 ( 4 ) , R.C.M. of t h e 1889 Montana C o n s t i t u t i o n . 1947, i n l i g h t Montana c a s e s a r e uniform i n h o l d i n g t h a t upon t h e f i l i n g of a t i m e l y a f f i d a v i t of d i s q u a l i f i - c a t i o n (15 d a y s b e f o r e d a t e s e t f o r t r i a l , p u r s u a n t t o s e c t i o n 93-901) t h e p r e s i d i n g judge must r e l i n q u i s h j u r i s d i c t i o n and c a l l i n a n o t h e r judge. See: P e e r y v . D i s t r i c t C o u r t , s u p r a ; Washoe Copper Co. v. Hickey, 46 Mont. 363, 128 P. 584; Rowan v . G a z e t t e P r i n t i n g Co., 69 Mont. 170, 2 2 0 P. 1 1 0 4 ; S t a t e ex r e l . OB-GYN Group v. D i s t . C o u r t , 159 Mont. 1, 494 P.2d 931. 901, R.C.M. S e c t i o n 93- 1947, f u r t h e r p r o v i d e s f o r t h e c a l l i n g i n o f a judge from t h e same j u d i c i a l d i s t r i c t , upon t h e f i l i n g o f t h e i n i t i a l a f f i d a v i t of d i s q u a l i f i c a t i o n . R e l a t o r ' s f i r s t and second i s s u e s have been answered contrary respondent's position. As t o the third issue: The 1889 Montana C o n s t i t u t i o n p r o v i d e d , i n A r t i c l e V I I I , Section 12: " * * * Any judge o f t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t may h o l d c o u r t f o r any o t h e r d i s t r i c t j u d g e , and s h a l l do s o when r e q u i r e d by law." The 1972 Montana C o n s t i t u t i o n p r o v i d e s , i n A r t i c l e V I I , Section 6(3): "The c h i e f j u s t i c e may, upon r e q u e s t o f t h e d i s t r i c t judge, a s s i g n d i s t r i c t judges and o t h e r judges f o r temporary s e r v i c e from one d i s t r i c t t o a n o t h e r , and from one c o u n t y t o a n o t h e r . " The i n t e n t of t h e f r a m e r s , i n u s i n g t h e l a n g u a g e q u o t e d from t h e 1972 Montana C o n s t i t u t i o n , i s evidencedby t h e f o l l o w i n g e x c e r p t s from t h e T r a n s c r i p t of P r o c e e d i n g s : Convention, pp. 3344, 3349, 3350, 3351. Montana C o n s t i t u t i o n a l [Bracketed m a t e r i a l s a r e s u p p l i e d t o c l a r i f y r e f e r e n c e s n o t a p p a r e n t from t h e t e x t . ] "DELEGATE BERG: I should o n l y comment upon that change [amendment which p r o v i d e d t h e above-quoted language i n s u b s e c t i o n 31 t h a t i t was f e l t t h a t a c h i e f j u s t i c e o u g h t n o t t o be a b l e t o a s s i g n d i s t r i c t j u d g e s , i n e f f e c t , w i l l y - n i l l y around t h e s t a t e ; t h a t it c o u l d be open t o p o s s i b l e a b u s e . The r e a l need a r i s e s when t h e r e i s heavy c o n g e s t i o n i n one d i s t r i c t c o u r t , and t h e r e f o r e , upon t h e r e q u e s t of t h a t d i s t r i c t judge, t h e supreme c o u r t c h i e f j u s t i c e may a s s i g n any o t h e r judge i n t h e r e t o a s s i s t him i n t h e c l e a n up o f h i s work. i s t h e r e a s o n f o r t h i s a d hoc amendment. That "DELEGATE McNEIL: M r . B e r g , t h e a d d i t i o n a l language t h a t you've i n s e r t e d i n t h e l a s t p a r a g r a p h t h a t t h e c h i e f j u s t i c e may, upon r e q u e s t -- I q u e s t i o n i s , upon r e q u e s t of whom? "DELEGATE BERG: W t h o u g h t t h e amendment was e q u i t e c l e a r t h a t i t was upon t h e r e q u e s t o f t h e d i s t r i c t j u d g e , o r t h e judge t h a t may be a s k i n g f o r a s s i s t a n c e . T h a t was t h e i n t e n t o f t h e a d hoc committee. "DELEGATE McNEIL: Is t h a t upon t h e r e q u e s t o f t h e judge t o be a s s i g n e d , o r upon t h e r e q u e s t o f t h e judge d e s i r i n g a s s i s t a n c e ? "DELEGATE BERG: The one d e s i r i n g a s s i s t a n c e . W e t h o u g h t t h a t would be c l e a r from t h e n a t u r e of t h e language. ' I * * * "DELEGATE DAVIS: M r . Berg. The l a s t p a r a g r a p h p r o v i d e s a c h i e f j u s t i c e may, upon r e q u e s t , a s s i g n and e t c . Do you t h e r e b y i n t e n d t o e x c l u d e t h e p r e s e n t s y s t e m where t h e judge o f a d i s t r i c t c o u r t may h o l d c o u r t f o r any o t h e r d i s t r i c t judge between t h e m s e l v e s ? "DELEGATE BERG: No, w e p u r p o s e l y l e f t t h i s w i t h a p e r m i s s i v e may. W e d i d n o t i n t e n d t o i n any way e f f e c t t h e p r e s e n t s y s t e m , which i s s t a t u t o r y , on t h e method o f c a l l i n q i n o t h e r j u d q e s upon d i s qualification. [Emphasis s u p p l i e d . ] F o r t h e s a k e o f t h e j o u r n a l we're making, and t h e r e c o r d now, t h e y c a n s t i l l d o it a s t h e y a r e p r e s e n t l y doing i t , i f t h e y wish. "DELEGATE DAVIS: "DELEGATE BERG: Y e s , w e c o n s i d e r t h e p r e s e n t v o l u n t a r y s y s t e m t o be v e r y a d e q u a t e , b u t w e f e l t t h a t t h e r e may be a s i t u a t i o n a r i s e where t h e judge i n o n e c i t y o r a n o t h e r , may be overwhelmed, and he c o u l d r e q u e s t a p p o i n t m e n t by t h e supreme court. "DELEGATE D A V I S : Thank you, M r . Berg. "CHAIRMAN GRAYBILL: M r . Melvin. "DELEGATE MELVIN: F o r t h e i n f o r m a t i o n of D e l e g a t e D a v i s and t h e l a y p e o p l e , t h e c o u r t i n d i c a t e d t h a t t h i s was e n t i r e l y p r o p e r , and t h a t t h e p r e s e n t s y s t e m was working v e r y w e l l . " The members o f t h e Committee o f t h e Whole t h e n unanimously v o t e d t o recommend t h e s e c t i o n , a s amended, f o r a d o p t i o n . I t i s apparent then t h a t a w r i t should i s s u e d i r e c t i n g Judge Brownlee t o c a l l i n a n o t h e r judge. A t t o r n e y f e e s i n t h e amount of $ 5 0 0 and c o s t s a r e allowed p u r s u a n t t o s e c t i o n 93-9112, R.C.M. Missoula County. od.' ~ b b e r t Nelson, D i s t r i c t 'ge d i t t i n g i n p l a c e of M r . J{;i&F'rank I. Haswell. J 1947, a s a c o s t a g a i n s t

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