Key Facts

• The Montana Supreme Court dismissed a misconduct case against Attorney General Austin Knudsen.
• Knudsen was accused of misconduct for defying court orders in a legal dispute.
• This legal dispute was over a 2021 law that allowed the governor to fill judicial vacancies directly.
• A panel had suggested Knudsen's law license be suspended for 90 days.
• The court found Knudsen violated attorney conduct rules but said his rights were violated when his expert witness was excluded.
• Knudsen called the complaint a distraction and described it as a "political stunt."
• Chief Justice Cory Swanson referred to the situation as a "public admonition" against Knudsen.