Jean A. Turnage
Native American judge (1926–2015)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jean Allen Turnage[1] (March 10, 1926 – September 27, 2015) was the chief justice of the Montana Supreme Court from 1985 until 2000.
Early life and education
He was born in St. Ignatius, Montana.[2] He served in the United States Army Air Corps after high school.[3] He studied on the G.I. Bill at Montana State University, predecessor of the University of Montana.
Turnage was an enrolled citizen of the Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Reservation.[3] He had two children.[3]
Career
In 1952, he became Lake County's attorney.[2] He served two years in the Montana House of Representatives and 20 years in the Montana State Senate including as senate president in 1981 session.[2]
He ran successfully for Chief Justice of the Montana Supreme Court in 1984, serving two terms before retiring in January 2001.[2]
