A Lake County judge who faced backlash over her handling of a child custody case tendered her resignation earlier this month, according to a letter to the Montana Supreme Court.
Judge Deborah Kim Christopher, who served as a district judge for nearly 25 years, announced her retirement from the judgeship in a March 15 letter. Her resignation will take effect on April 5th. The letter, first reported by the Lake County Leader, is addressed to Montana Supreme Court Chief Justice Mike McGrath.
“It has been an honor to serve Lake and Sanders counties in the 20th Judicial District for nearly 24 years,” Christopher wrote. “I continue to be in awe of the power and authority that the citizens of Lake and Sanders counties have entrusted to me by electing and re-electing me four consecutive times.”
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Christopher described her extensive legal career, including working in private practice, as an assistant district attorney in Cascade County and as a district attorney in Lake County. She also served in the U.S. Army, but Christopher wrote that nothing was “richer” for her than being elected district judge.
“As you also know, I didn’t always get it right, and I was always grateful to know that when I got it wrong, there were seven Supreme Court justices who would fix the problem,” she wrote. “Given the incredible power a district judge wields over people’s lives, children, money, property and future, this position has always weighed heavily on me.”
Christopher said she was particularly proud of the implementation of the Court Appointed Special Advocate program for Lake and Sanders counties and the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, a project that continues today.
Christopher's conduct in a Lake County custody case was the focus of a complaint filed last year in the state Supreme Court. The Supreme Court withdrew her from the case because she erred in developing a parenting plan that was not in the best interests of the child when she suddenly removed the five-year-old from his mother's full-time care.
Soon after, the Daily Montanan reported that a misconduct complaint was filed against Christopher with the Judicial Standards Commission.
A voice message to Christopher was not returned as of Tuesday morning.
Christopher's term expires at the end of 2024. The Secretary of State's website lists Polson attorney Britt Cotter as the only other candidate to lead Christopher's department. Gov. Greg Gianforte needs to fill district court judge vacancies. A March 21 letter from McGrath asked Gianforte to begin the process to solicit applications to fill the position as quickly as possible.
During his first term, Gianforte assembled review panels composed of local stakeholders inside and outside the court system to provide him with recommendations for appointments.
Zoë Buchli is the Missoulian's criminal justice reporter.
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