Appointed by Steve Bullock Name Jim Shea Preceded by Brian Morris Role Associate Justice | Spouse(s) Kathy Education University of Montana Alma mater University of Montana Date appointed May 5, 2014 | |
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Born April 13, 1966 (age 57)
Butte, Montana, U.S. ( 1966-04-13 ) Children 2 daughters; Kate and Mo | ||
James Jeremiah Shea (born April 13, 1966) is an Associate Justice on the Montana Supreme Court appointed by Governor Steve Bullock. He previously served as a judge on the Montana Workers' Compensation Court.
Contents
- Education and legal career
- State court service
- Appointment to Montana Supreme Court
- Personal life
- References
Education and legal career
Shea graduated from the University of Montana School of Law in 1991 and started out as a clerk for U.S. District Judge Paul G. Hatfield in Great Falls. He later practiced insurance law and indigent criminal defense in Portland, Oregon, then returned to Montana to practice mostly civil law.
State court service
Shea was appointed by Gov. Brian Schweitzer to the Workers' Compensation Court in 2005 and sworn into that position on September 7, 2005, he was retained again in 2011. He was previously an attorney in private practice, most recently a partner at the Missoula firm Paoli and Shea.
Appointment to Montana Supreme Court
Governor Steve Bullock appointed Judge Shea to serve on the Montana Supreme Court. Shea replaced Judge Brian Morris, who was confirmed and commissioned as a United States district court judge for the United States District Court for the District of Montana in December 2013. He was confirmed by the Montana State Senate his nomination by a vote of 41-9. He was sworn in on June 2, 2014. Shea ran unopposed for re-election in 2016, and was retained with 81.5 percent of the vote.
Personal life
Shea and his wife Kathy married in 1989. They have two daughters, Kate and Moira.