Senate Bill No. [insert bill number] aims to amend Section 3-1-611 of the Montana Code Annotated regarding judicial conflicts of interest and recusal procedures. The bill stipulates that any party involved in a legal proceeding can request the recusal of a judicial officer if there is a conflict of interest, specifically if the judicial officer has received significant contributions from parties involved in the case within the last six years. The bill clarifies the criteria for recusal and emphasizes that the moving party must provide sufficient evidence to support their request.

A significant change introduced by this bill is the prohibition of the "rule of necessity" as a justification for a judicial officer to avoid recusal when other judicial officers with lesser conflicts are available to take over the case. This amendment aims to ensure that judicial officers cannot sidestep recusal obligations by claiming necessity when alternatives exist, thereby promoting greater integrity and impartiality in the judicial process.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 3-1-611
SB0030_1(1): 3-1-611
SB0030_1(2): 3-1-611
SB0030_1(3): 3-1-611
SB0030_1(4): 3-1-611
SB0030_1(5): 3-1-611
SB0030_1: 3-1-611