State of Montana Newsroom
Gov. Gianforte Appoints David Grubich to Eighth Judicial District Court
HELENA, Mont. – Governor Greg Gianforte today announced he is appointing David Grubich to serve on the Eighth Judicial District Court.
Grubich fills the vacancy left when the Montana State Senate declined to confirm Michele Reinhart Levine, who was appointed to the bench in November 2020.
Grubich graduated from the University of Montana in 2007 and the Alexander Blewett III School of Law at the University of Montana in 2010. He has served as District Standing Master with the Montana Eighth Judicial District Court since August 2018. Before that time, he served in private practice in Great Falls since 2010.
“David Grubich is an accomplished attorney committed to the fair, consistent, and objective application of the law,” Gov. Gianforte said. “Given his experience and knowledge as Standing Master in the Eighth Judicial District and the overwhelming, positive public comment about David that I received, I’m confident he will make an exceptional judge and serve the people of Cascade County well.”
On May 14, Governor Gianforte announced an advisory council of attorneys and community leaders in Cascade County to assist in identifying and reviewing qualified candidates to fill the district court judge vacancy in the Eighth Judicial District. The advisory council unanimously identified Grubich as its top choice to fill the vacancy.
The governor concluded, “I thank the members of advisory council for their work and for volunteering their time to identify, review, and unanimously recommend a highly-qualified nominee to fill this vacancy.
On April 30, the chief justice of the Supreme Court of Montana notified the governor of a vacancy in the Eighth Judicial District.
On May 4, the governor began soliciting applications from and nominations of any lawyer in good standing with the qualifications set forth by law for holding the position of district court judge.
In June, the governor’s advisory council reviewed applicants and considered public comment, including letters of support and nominees’ statements at a forum of the Cascade County Bar Association.
The public comment period ended on June 30. The advisory council forwarded nominees to the governor on July 6.
The governor met with the candidates whom the advisory council advanced.
Grubich will be sworn in to serve on the Montana Eighth Judicial District soon, and he will be up for election in 2022.