Judges say Montana public defender backlog taking a toll in Great Falls city court
Summary
Judges in Great Falls, Montana, report long delays in assigning public defenders to defendants in city court. The Montana Office of the State Public Defender struggles with staff shortages and increased cases, causing some people to wait weeks for a lawyer while in jail.Key Facts
- Public defenders are lawyers provided free to people who cannot pay for one.
- Great Falls city court judges say cases are delayed because attorneys are not assigned quickly.
- Some defendants wait 30 to 60 days after their cases start before getting a public defender.
- The Montana Office of the State Public Defender has trouble filling jobs and finding contract lawyers.
- In 80% of cases statewide, defense attorneys are assigned within 14 days, but others wait as long as 50 days.
- Great Falls Municipal Court’s average wait time for a public defender is about 13.7 days.
- From 2024 to 2025, the number of cases in Great Falls increased by 56%, but the number of staff attorneys dropped by more than half.
- Long waits for attorneys can keep defendants in jail for over 20 days and slow down the court schedule.
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