Statistics for 2026

By justice →
2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999
Opinions issued
171
Cases opened
614
Cases closed
536
Net change
+78
docket growing
Median days on appeal
372
filing to opinion
Median, submission to opinion
125
submitted to opinion

Dispositions

appeals decided by opinion in 2026
Affirmed 148 67.6%
Reversed 47 21.5%
Affirmed in part, reversed in part 17 7.8%
Opinion issued in an original proceeding 3 1.4%
Opinion issued in an election original proceeding 2 0.9%
Opinion issued denying a writ of supervisory control 1 0.5%
Opinion issued in a DA case, outcome unknown 1 0.5%

Appeals by judicial district

where the case came from, and how it came out
Appealed fromOpinionsAffirmedReversedAffirmed in part
First 32 26 · 81.3% 6 · 18.8% 0 · 0%
Thirteenth 27 21 · 77.8% 5 · 18.5% 1 · 3.7%
Fourth 26 16 · 61.5% 7 · 26.9% 2 · 7.7%
Eighth 25 18 · 72% 4 · 16% 2 · 8%
Eighteenth 18 10 · 55.6% 7 · 38.9% 1 · 5.6%
Eleventh 18 14 · 77.8% 2 · 11.1% 2 · 11.1%
Nineteenth 13 9 · 69.2% 4 · 30.8% 0 · 0%
Twenty-first 11 6 · 54.5% 4 · 36.4% 1 · 9.1%
Twentieth 7 5 · 71.4% 1 · 14.3% 1 · 14.3%
Second 6 4 · 66.7% 1 · 16.7% 1 · 16.7%
Fifth 6 4 · 66.7% 1 · 16.7% 1 · 16.7%
Sixteenth 5 1 · 20% 2 · 40% 2 · 40%
Sixth 4 2 · 50% 1 · 25% 1 · 25%
Ninth 4 4 · 100% 0 · 0% 0 · 0%
Tenth 3 2 · 66.7% 1 · 33.3% 0 · 0%
Seventh 3 3 · 100% 0 · 0% 0 · 0%
Montana Water Court 2 0 · 0% 0 · 0% 2 · 100%
Twelfth 2 1 · 50% 1 · 50% 0 · 0%
Fourteenth 1 1 · 100% 0 · 0% 0 · 0%
Third 1 1 · 100% 0 · 0% 0 · 0%

Subject and posture

how the year’s opinions divide
OpinionsFiling → opinionSubmitted → opinionFastest and slowest Affirmed Reversed Other
All opinions 219 486d 144d 15d — Montana Mining Assn. v. A. Knudsen 1182d — State v. L. Harris
Five-justice panel 184 431d 126d 15d — Montana Mining Assn. v. A. Knudsen 1182d — State v. L. Harris
En banc 33 769d 234d 278d — Marriage of Jensen 1107d — State v. M. Mitchell
Oral argument 3 612d 178d 75d — T. Kendrick v. A. Knudsen 903d — City of Kalispell v. S. Doman
Criminal 83 763d 172d 76d — S.L. v. 4th Jud. Dist 1182d — State v. L. Harris
Five-justice panel 56 705d 139d 76d — S.L. v. 4th Jud. Dist 1182d — State v. L. Harris
En banc 25 884d 238d 425d — State v. Pratt 1107d — State v. M. Mitchell
Oral argument 2 881d 247d 858d — State v. R. French 903d — City of Kalispell v. S. Doman
Civil 136 317d 127d 15d — Montana Mining Assn. v. A. Knudsen 974d — Matter of: W.D
Five-justice panel 128 311d 121d 15d — Montana Mining Assn. v. A. Knudsen 974d — Matter of: W.D
En banc 8 412d 222d 278d — Marriage of Jensen 560d — Bellamah v. Datsopoulas, PC
Oral argument 1 75d 41d 75d — T. Kendrick v. A. Knudsen

Opinions issued in 2026

171 opinions
AU majority CO concurrence DI dissent filled wrote it · outlined joined it
W. Cooper v. Doj, Dci 2026 MT 4 DA 25-0414 · Jan 13, 2026 · Reversed LK CS KB BB IG
S. Ellison v. State 2026 MT 5N DA 25-0172 · Jan 13, 2026 · Affirmed KB CS LK BB JR
Marriage of White 2026 MT 6N DA 25-0354 · Jan 13, 2026 · Affirmed KB LK JS BB JR
Estate of Athy v. Edgewood 2026 MT 3 DA 25-0265 · Jan 13, 2026 · Affirmed in part, reversed in part KB CS JS IG JR
S.L. v. 4th Jud. Dist 2026 MT 1 OP 25-0741 · Jan 6, 2026 · Opinion issued denying a writ of supervisory control KB LK BB IG JR
T.E.I. v. Knudsen 2026 MT 2 OP 25-0770 · Jan 6, 2026 · Unknown opinion JR CS IG LK BB KB JS