--- title: "James J. Shea | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/james-jeremiah-shea-4996" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-08-22" --- # James J. Shea Montana Supreme Court · Justice ## Profile - Court: Montana Supreme Court - State: Montana - Role: Justice - Service status: active - Last verified: 2026-08-22 ## Summary Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge. ## Biography ### Professional career - James Jeremiah “Jim” Shea is an American judge and Associate Justice of the Montana Supreme Court, appointed in 2014 and currently serving until the end of 2028 - Judge, Montana Supreme Court, 2014-present - Served in that role until 2014, when Governor Steve Bullock appointed him to the Montana Supreme Court to replace Judge Brian Morris - He later served as Montana’s Workers’ Compensation Court judge before joining the Montana Supreme Court in 2014. - Workers’ Compensation Court Judge: 2005–2014 - trial attorney, the Metropolitan Public Defender and then practiced civil law in the private sector - Former partner at the Missoula law firm Paoli & Shea - Began his legal career as a law clerk to Chief Judge Paul G. Hatfield of the U.S. District Court for the District of Montana - He clerked for federal Judge Paul Hatfield and worked in public defense and private civil practice - After law school, Shea served as a trial attorney with the Metropolitan Public Defender in Portland, Oregon, and later practiced civil law in private practice. ### Education - James Jeremiah Shea earned his undergraduate degree in 1988 and law degree in 1991 from the University of Montana. - He graduated from Butte Central Catholic High School, earned his B.A. from the University of Montana in 1988, and his J.D. in 1991. ### Additional information - He returned to Montana in 1996, practicing in Missoula until 2005, when Governor Brian Schweitzer appointed him to the Montana Workers’ Compensation Court. - James Jeremiah Shea was born April 13, 1966, in Butte, Montana. - Date of birth: 1966-04-13 - Birth place: Butte ## Before you appear - Read the judge-specific standing order first when one is listed. - Check the docket and case orders for requirements that supersede broader guidance. - Confirm current remote-access and courtroom technology arrangements before the proceeding. ## Courtroom Rules ### ex parte materials Scope: courtwide Unless a rule or statute provides otherwise, file and serve documents, briefs, proposed orders, proposed judgments, and other communications before presenting them to the court. Evidence excerpt: no document, including briefs, proposed orders and proposed judgments, or other communications, may be presented to the court at any time unless it is first filed with the court and served on all parties. [Montana Code Annotated 2025, Uniform District Court Rule 3](https://archive.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0250/chapter_0190/part_0010/section_0030/0250-0190-0010-0030.html) Source checked: 2026-07-30 ### pretrial conference Scope: courtwide Unless the court orders otherwise, expect a pretrial conference in every contested civil case. Evidence excerpt: Unless otherwise ordered by the court, a pre-trial conference shall be held in all contested civil cases. [Montana Code Annotated 2025, Uniform District Court Rule 5](https://archive.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0250/chapter_0190/part_0010/section_0050/0250-0190-0010-0050.html) Source checked: 2026-07-30 ### joint pretrial order Scope: courtwide No later than seven days before the pretrial conference, the plaintiff must convene all parties to prepare the proposed pretrial order and present it for signature at the conference. Evidence excerpt: Not later than seven days prior to the pre-trial conference, Plaintiff shall convene a conference of all parties for the purpose of preparing a pre-trial order. [Montana Code Annotated 2025, Uniform District Court Rule 5](https://archive.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0250/chapter_0190/part_0010/section_0050/0250-0190-0010-0050.html) Source checked: 2026-07-30 ### exhibit objections Scope: courtwide Identify each trial exhibit and any objection in the pretrial order. An exhibit offered at trial without a stated pretrial-order objection will be admitted. Evidence excerpt: Any exhibit offered at the trial to which no objection was made in the pre-trial order will be admitted into evidence. [Montana Code Annotated 2025, Uniform District Court Rule 5](https://archive.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0250/chapter_0190/part_0010/section_0050/0250-0190-0010-0050.html) Source checked: 2026-07-30 ### trial witness disclosure Scope: courtwide List in the pretrial order the witnesses who may be called, except rebuttal witnesses. Evidence excerpt: The following witnesses and no others will (may) be called to testify except on rebuttal. [Montana Code Annotated 2025, Uniform District Court Rule 5](https://archive.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0250/chapter_0190/part_0010/section_0050/0250-0190-0010-0050.html) Source checked: 2026-07-30 ### jury instructions Scope: courtwide Deliver proposed jury instructions and verdict forms to the court in duplicate, and serve every opposing party, at the time fixed in the pretrial order. Evidence excerpt: All proposed jury instructions and verdict forms must be delivered to the court in duplicate and a copy served upon all opposing parties at the time fixed in the pre-trial order. [Montana Code Annotated 2025, Uniform District Court Rule 7](https://archive.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0250/chapter_0190/part_0010/section_0070/0250-0190-0010-0070.html) Source checked: 2026-07-30 ### jury instruction authorities Scope: courtwide Identify each proposed jury instruction's source and cite supporting authority at the bottom. Evidence excerpt: Each proposed instruction shall identify at the bottom its source and cite supporting authorities, if any. [Montana Code Annotated 2025, Uniform District Court Rule 7](https://archive.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0250/chapter_0190/part_0010/section_0070/0250-0190-0010-0070.html) Source checked: 2026-07-30 ### proposed findings Scope: courtwide Unless the court orders otherwise, file and serve proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law at least seven days before a trial or hearing where Rule 52 requires them. Evidence excerpt: all parties shall file with the court, and serve upon all opposing parties, at least seven days prior to the scheduled trial or hearing, proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law. [Montana Code Annotated 2025, Uniform District Court Rule 8](https://archive.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0250/chapter_0190/part_0010/section_0080/0250-0190-0010-0080.html) Source checked: 2026-07-30 ### exhibit custody Scope: courtwide Every exhibit filed or offered in evidence remains in the clerk's custody unless the court orders a copy substituted or permits withdrawal. Evidence excerpt: Every exhibit placed on file or offered in evidence shall be held in the custody of the clerk. [Montana Code Annotated 2025, Uniform District Court Rule 12](https://archive.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0250/chapter_0190/part_0010/section_0120/0250-0190-0010-0120.html) Source checked: 2026-07-30 ## Sources - [Official profile](https://courts.mt.gov/external/supreme/docs/justicelist.pdf) - [Official roster](https://courts.mt.gov/external/supreme/docs/justicelist.pdf) - [Montana Supreme Court current judicial profile](https://courts.mt.gov/external/supreme/docs/justicelist.pdf) - [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/4996/james-jeremiah-shea/) - [Montana Code Annotated 2025, Uniform District Court Rule 3](https://archive.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0250/chapter_0190/part_0010/section_0030/0250-0190-0010-0030.html) - [Montana Code Annotated 2025, Uniform District Court Rule 5](https://archive.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0250/chapter_0190/part_0010/section_0050/0250-0190-0010-0050.html) - [Montana Code Annotated 2025, Uniform District Court Rule 7](https://archive.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0250/chapter_0190/part_0010/section_0070/0250-0190-0010-0070.html) - [Montana Code Annotated 2025, Uniform District Court Rule 8](https://archive.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0250/chapter_0190/part_0010/section_0080/0250-0190-0010-0080.html) - [Montana Code Annotated 2025, Uniform District Court Rule 12](https://archive.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0250/chapter_0190/part_0010/section_0120/0250-0190-0010-0120.html) - [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/4996/james-jeremiah-shea/) - [Wikidata: Jim Shea](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q16844638) - [Shea](https://courts.mt.gov/courts/supreme/about/bios/Shea) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/james-jeremiah-shea-4996", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/james-jeremiah-shea-4996", "name": "James J. Shea | KnowJudges", "description": "James J. Shea, Montana Supreme Court. Source-linked judicial identity, courtroom procedures, and presentation guidance.", "dateModified": "2026-08-22", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/#website" }, "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/james-jeremiah-shea-4996#judge" } }, { "@type": "Person", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/james-jeremiah-shea-4996#judge", "name": "James J. Shea", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/james-jeremiah-shea-4996", "jobTitle": "Justice", "worksFor": { "@type": "GovernmentOrganization", "name": "Montana Supreme Court" }, "sameAs": [ "https://courts.mt.gov/external/supreme/docs/justicelist.pdf", "https://www.courtlistener.com/person/4996/james-jeremiah-shea/" ], "birthDate": "1966-04-13", "birthPlace": "Butte", "alumniOf": [ { "@type": "EducationalOrganization", "name": "University of Montana School of Law" }, { "@type": "EducationalOrganization", "name": "University of Montana" } ] }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "KnowJudges", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Montana", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/state/montana" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "James J. Shea", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/james-jeremiah-shea-4996" } ] } ] } ```