Karen S. Townsend
Ballotpedia provides comprehensive election coverage of the 100 largest cities in America by population as well as mayoral, city council, and district attorney election coverage in state capitals outside of the 100 largest cities. This judge is outside of that coverage scope and does not receive scheduled updates.
Karen S. Townsend was a judge for the 4th District Court of Montana.[1] She was elected in the general election on November 2, 2010, defeating Brenda Desmond. Townsend won the seat previously held by Douglas G. Harkin, who did not seek re-election.[2] She was the first woman to be elected district court judge in Missoula County.[3] Townsend retired on August 30, 2019.[4]
Education
Townsend earned her B.A. from Ohio Wesleyan University in 1964. She received her M.A. from the University of California in 1965, and she earned her J.D. with honors from the University of Montana School of Law in 1976.[5]
Career
- 2011-2019: Judge, 4th District Court
- 1990-2006: Special assistant United States attorney
- 1998-2006: Chief deputy county attorney, Missoula County Attorney’s Office
- 1990-1998: Senior deputy county attorney, Missoula County Attorney’s Office
- 1988-1990: Director of training, National College of District Attorneys
- 1984-1988: Special assistant United States attorney
- 1982-1988: Senior deputy county attorney, Missoula County Attorney’s Office
- 1980-1981: Chief staff attorney, County Prosecutor’s Services Bureau, Montana Department of Justice
- 1976-1980: Deputy county attorney, Missoula County Attorney’s Office[5]
Prior to enrolling in law school when she was 31 years old, Townsend worked as a schoolteacher, a school counselor, and was a mother.[3]
Elections
2016
Montana held general elections for local judicial offices on November 8, 2016. A primary election took place on June 7, 2016. The filing deadline for candidates who wished to run in this election was March 14, 2016.[6] Karen S. Townsend was retained in the Montana District 4 (Department 4) election with 81.47 percent of the vote. [7]
| Montana District 4 (Department 4), 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Yes votes | |
 Karen S. Townsend | 81.47% | |
| Source: Montana Secretary of State, "2016 General Election Results," accessed November 10, 2016 | ||
Selection method
- See also: Nonpartisan elections
The 43 judges of the Montana District Courts are chosen in nonpartisan elections for six-year terms. At the end of their term, they must run for re-election. If a judge is unopposed for re-election, it becomes a retention election instead.[8]
The chief judge of each district court is chosen annually on the basis of seniority.[8]
Qualifications
To serve on this court, a judge must be:[8]
- a U.S. citizen;
- a state resident for at least two years;
- a resident of the district represented; and
- licensed to practice law in the state for at least five years.
See also
External links
- The Missoulian, "Townsend sworn in as Missoula's first elected female District Court judge," January 4, 2011
- Karen S. Townsend Campaign Website
Footnotes
- ↑ Missoulian "Karen Townsend announces candidacy for Fourth District Court judge," December 10, 2009
- ↑ Billings Gazette "2010 state races," January 9, 2010
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 The Missoulian, "Townsend sworn in as Missoula's first elected female District Court judge," January 4, 2011
- ↑ Missoula Current, "Karen Townsend: 1st female Missoula District judge to retire," April 3, 2019
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Missoula Democrats Website, "Judge Karen Townsend's Profile," accessed May 12, 2015
- ↑ Montana Secretary of State, "2016 Election Calendar," accessed December 7, 2015
- ↑ Montana Secretary of State, "2016 Candidate Filing List: Non-Legislative," accessed March 21, 2016
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Montana," accessed July 31, 2014
| ||||||||||
Federal courts:
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: District of Montana • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: District of Montana
State courts:
Montana Supreme Court • Montana District Courts • Montana Courts of Limited Jurisdiction • Montana Water Court • Montana Workers' Compensation Court
State resources:
Courts in Montana • Montana judicial elections • Judicial selection in Montana
