Essay by Constance Van Kley, an Assistant Professor at the Blewett School of Law at the University of Montana.
January 2, 2025 – State Court Report
Like all constitutions, the Montana Constitution is a creature of compromise, spinning a web of rights and powers holding each other in tension. Some of the conflicting values are shared with other foundational documents — liberty and equality, of course, and minority rights and democratic process — but no other state strikes quite the same balance. And the beauty of the Montana Constitution is that no other state could. Unique to Montana and uniquely Montanan, the constitution reflects the state’s natural beauty, its libertarian streak, and its trust in the citizenry.