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Judges say Montana public defender backlog taking a toll in Great Falls city court
Judges say some defendants wait more than 20 days for counsel as staffing gaps and contract shortages push hearings back and clog trial calendars.
- On July 21, Judge Mark Dunn told Great Falls city commissioners that public defender delays are 'the bigger problem' affecting municipal court, while Municipal Judge Cassidy Blomgren noted defendants wait over 20 days before attorney assignment.
- The Montana Office of the State Public Defender faces staffing shortages and operates under 'ethical case management' regulations limiting attorney caseloads, while contract attorney availability falls short of statewide demand.
- OPD data show in 2024, 11 staff attorneys handled 598 cases in Great Falls Municipal Court; the next year, just five attorneys handled 936 cases—a 56% increase with fewer than half the personnel, pushing average wait times to 13.7 days compared to 9.8 days statewide.
- Defendants who cannot post bond face extended jail stays awaiting attorney assignment, with Great Falls Chief Prosecutor Neil Anthon acknowledging about two defendants per week require hearing postponements due to the shortage.
- Blomgren warned these systemic delays could trigger constitutional challenges to speedy-trial rights, though the 2025 Montana Legislature passed competitive salary adjustments for public defenders and workload through 2026 has declined from previous years.
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Judges say Montana public defender backlog taking a toll in Great Falls city court
At a budget meeting in July, Great Falls city court judges identified a key challenge that has created scheduling headaches, case delays and has left some people waiting in jail without an attorney.
·New York, United States
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Judges say public defender backlog taking a toll in Great Falls city court
The state's public defender office acknowledged several challenges, including difficulty filling vacant positions, a shortage of contract attorneys and growing caseloads. While most defendants get public defender assignments within a couple of weeks, some wait nearly a month in jail before seeing an attorney for misdemeanor charges.
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Leaning Left1Leaning Right1Center7Last UpdatedBias Distribution78% Center
Bias Distribution
- 78% of the sources are Center
78% Center
11%
C 78%
11%
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