Beth Baker
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Spokane, Washington, U.S.
University of Montana (JD)
Beth Baker | |
|---|---|
| Associate Justice of the Montana Supreme Court | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2011 | |
| Preceded by | W. William Leaphart |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 29, 1961 Spokane, Washington, U.S. |
| Education | University of Washington (BA) University of Montana (JD) |
Beth Baker (born November 29, 1961)[1] is an American lawyer who is an associate justice of the Montana Supreme Court.[2] Elected on November 2, 2010 and sworn into office on January 3, 2011, she became the fourth woman to serve on Montana's highest bench.[3] She took the seat of the retired Justice W. William Leaphart.[3] In the 2018 election, Justice Baker was retained for another eight year term.[4]
Originally from Spokane, Washington,[5] she graduated magna cum laude in 1982 from the University of Washington with a bachelor's degree in Speech Communication.[2] Baker received her Juris Doctor degree, with high honors, from the University of Montana School of Law in 1985.[2]
Baker clerked for Judge Charles C. Lovell of the United States District Court for the District of Montana, from 1985 to 1989.[2][6] For 11 years, from 1989 to 2000, she was an Assistant Attorney General with the Montana Department of Justice.[6][2] During this time she served four years as Assistant Chief Deputy Attorney General and four years as Chief Deputy Attorney General.[2][6] She left state government for private practice at the Helena, Montana law firm of Hughes, Kellner, Sullivan and Alke from 2000 to 2010.[2] While there, she was awarded the State Bar of Montana's Bousliman Professionalism Award in 2006.[5] The award honored her efforts to provide access to legal services to people with limited means.[5]
Justice Baker served for ten years on the Montana Supreme Court's Access to Justice Commission.[5] As of 2024, she also serves as an ex officio director of the Montana Justice Foundation.[2]
In 2010, Baker ran against Nels Swandal for the vacated seat of Justice Leaphart. Baker was endorsed by Leaphart as his successor.[7] In her campaign, she promoted a non-partisan judiciary.[8] Even so, she was backed by left-leaning groups.[7] In contrast to Baker's adherence to non-partisanship, Swandal openly stated his conservative preference during the campaign.[8]
In 2018, Baker ran unopposed to retain her seat. She won 73% "yes" votes to the question if she should retain her seat.[9]
