--- title: "Laurie McKinnon | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/laurie-mckinnon-4988" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-08-22" --- # Laurie McKinnon 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 - Justice Laurie McKinnon is an Associate Justice of the Montana Supreme Court, elected in 2012 and re‐elected in 2020, serving since January 2013 - Judge, Montana Supreme Court, 2013-present - Began her legal career in 1987 as a prosecutor in the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office - As a trial judge, she implemented a DOJ‐funded drug treatment court, developed the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) program, and oversaw water distribution projects - Her background includes prosecution and private practice in Maryland and county prosecution in Montana ### Education - Master’s degree in judicial studies from the University of Nevada, Reno in 2016. - University of Baltimore School of Law — J.D. (1986) - Goucher College — B.A. (1982) ### Additional information - She received the Karla M. Gray Equal Justice Award in 2019 for her work improving access to Montana courts. - Practitioner, 2012-2012 - She won election to the 9th Judicial District Court in 2006 and the Montana Supreme Court in 2012. - She received the Montana CASA Judge of the Year award in 2010 - In 2006, she was elected to the Montana 9th Judicial District Court - Date of birth: 1960-01-03 - handling felony cases and working in the Felony Sexual Assault Unit Montana Courts - overseeing Teton, Toole, Pondera, and Glacier counties. - She also serves on the ABA Appellate Judges Conference Executive Committee and the Uniform Law Commission’s Fine and Fees Committee Montana Courts - Birth place: Baltimore ## 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/4988/laurie-mckinnon/) - [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/4988/laurie-mckinnon/) - [Wikidata: Laurie McKinnon](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q16732349) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/laurie-mckinnon-4988", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/laurie-mckinnon-4988", "name": "Laurie McKinnon | KnowJudges", "description": "Laurie McKinnon, Montana Supreme Court. 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