Bill > HR4

This resolution censures Bozeman Municipal Judges J. Colleen Herrington and Karolina Tierney for alleged official misconduct and malfeasance related to their treatment of John Looney, a licensed bail bondsman. The resolution details a series of actions by the judges, including improperly ordering bond forfeitures, suspending Looney's bonding privileges without legal authority, and attempting to coerce Looney into withdrawing Judicial Standards Commission complaints by withholding his bonding privileges. The judges allegedly violated the law by taking actions beyond their legal scope, such as suspending bonding privileges (which only the Commissioner of Securities and Insurance can do) and attempting to extort Looney by demanding he drop his judicial complaints. The resolution finds that the judges have violated the public trust and performed actions unbecoming of elected officials, and therefore calls for their immediate censure and resignation. The House of Representatives formally declares that the judges have committed official misconduct and malfeasance, and directs the Secretary of State to send copies of the resolution to the judges and the Chief Justice of the Montana Supreme Court.

Justice

https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC2691