You could say that being behind the bench runs in Dan Wilson’s family. After all, his grandfather was a justice of the peace in eastern Montana.
Wilson ran unopposed and was formally elected on Nov. 8 to serve as Flathead County’s fourth district court judge. Wilson will replace outgoing District Court Judge David Ortley, who decided last year not to run for re-election. Prior to being elected, Wilson served as a justice of the peace in Kalispell.
“I think every attorney imagines at one point or another what it would be like to be a judge. The process and the job has always interested me,” Wilson said. “It’s challenging and it’s different every day. As an attorney, you’re trying to advance the interests of your client. But as a judge, you’re only interested in the law.”
Wilson was born in Billings and graduated from the University of Minnesota’s law school in 1993. After graduation, he got a job as a deputy county attorney in Great Falls before becoming chief prosecutor in Chinook. In 1995, Wilson started working at the Flathead County Attorney’s office before opening his own practice three years later. In 2011, he was elected as justice of the peace.
As the Flathead Valley’s population continues to grow, Wilson said the district court would continue to be overflowing with cases. He said the Montana Supreme Court, which plans on asking the Legislature to hire additional district court judges, has made a sound argument for adding a fifth judge to the 11th Judicial District.
“The river of cases coming through the district court is running faster and wider than it has in past years,” he said.
Wilson believes one reason for the increased caseload in Flathead County is the valley’s growing drug problem. A decade after it was dubbed an epidemic in Montana, methamphetamine has made a comeback in Northwest Montana.
“Drugs use up a lot of the court system’s resources,” he said. “Drug use has a ripple effect through the community and the justice system. Not only are there people getting charged with drug possession, but there’s an increase in theft cases and child custody cases.”
Wilson will be sworn in next month and will start hearing cases in January.