Ron Waterman for Chief Justice

Montana, USA

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Public Announcement Old Supreme Court Chambers
March 19, 2008 | download here as Adobe PDF file
11:00 A.M.

Welcome and thank all of you for coming here today.
I’m Ron Waterman and I am filing today for the position of chief justice of the Montana Supreme Court.

I hitchhiked to Montana from back east as a young man and put up hay and worked on a cattle ranch in the Big Hole Valley, which became my first Montana home. I worked my way through college at Missoula and received my law degree from the University of Montana in 1969. I clerked for U.S. District Court Judge William J. Jameson of Billings my first year out of law school and have practiced law for 38 years in Helena.
As an attorney I have been involved with a number of civic organizations in my community based on my belief that communities matter and we all have an obligation to help where we can to improve community life. I have served for 35 years on the United Way board, on the Florence Crittenton Home board and on the National Crittenton Foundation. More than 20 percent of my professional time in recent years has been devoted to pro bono services – free legal assistance for clients unable to pay for an attorney. My wife, Mignon and I have been married for almost 43 years. We have two adult children, Kyle and Briar, a wonderful daughter-in-law,Teresa, and two extremely cute grandchildren! Announcement March 19th

Before I go any further, I would like to make a couple of introductions. First, my wife Mignon. Next, the co-chairs of my campaign – Dorothy Bradley and Sherri Ohs. And finally, my campaign treasurer, Gordon Bennett. I would also like to thank my campaign manager Jim Oppedahl, former administrator of the Montana Supreme Court.

I am announcing my candidacy today for chief justice in the same spirit of community involvement that I mentioned earlier. I believe that my entire career has prepared me for this challenge. I have represented clients before Montana courts at every level – Justice of the Peace, District Courts and the Montana Supreme Court. I understand the Montana court system very well.
My clients have included thousands of individuals -- both the poor and the more fortunate. I have represented a wide variety of clients. Individual clients are the most numerous, but I have also represented a wide diversity of organizations such as the high school association, the stock growers, the news media, people with mental illnesses and disabilities and a variety of businesses, large and small. My first argument before the Supreme Court in 1973 was to defend the Union Market here in Helena from condemnation. For several years I was the lead attorney for the Montana Freedom of Information Hotline, which provides free legal advice to citizens denied access to public meetings, records and the courts. During my career, I have presented matters to the Montana Supreme Court and to federal appeals courts close to 100 times. Announcement March 19th

My legal career has been devoted to improving the rights of Montana citizens – requiring gender equity in our high schools, providing stream access to citizens and providing Montana with the nation’s finest public defender system.
I am running for chief justice to provide the people of Montana a choice in this critical non-partisan race to lead the judicial branch. I have never sought or held political office. I am running for chief justice because I believe I am well prepared to provide crucial leadership in our court for all who seek justice and expect the courts to reach decisions based on the facts and the law. For the public to have confidence in the courts, they must be perceived to be without bias, function without bias and operate without political interference.

I am running for chief justice because Montana needs an energetic, hardworking leader in the highest court in these critical, changing times. Montana is approaching a population of one million people. The state is growing, changing and urbanizing. These changes will confront Montana standards and values and those challenges will inevitably play out in our courts. I believe that we need to have a qualified, hard working lawyer as chief justice with practical skills and analytical abilities to provide leadership as the Court addresses these issues. Most of all, I am running for Chief Justice based on the values and visions that I hold for our judicial system. Fundamentally, I believe that each person accused of a crime is innocent until proven guilty and that all persons deserve competent lawyers. And, I believe that a strong, healthy court system is the keystone to all of our liberties. This has been the foundation of my legal career and it will continue to be the fundamental values that I hold dear during my service as chief justice.

I look forward to this race and the work that needs to be done once I am on the court.

Thank you.

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Ron Waterman for Chief Justice | P.O. Box 7540 , Helena, MT 59604