In Lake County, there are now five candidates to fill out the term of District Judge Kenneth Britton Cotter, who has resigned to focus on charges of attempting to purchase and distribute drugs.
One of those candidates is Kalispell attorney, Thane Johnson. Another is the interim Judge, John Mercer. The remaining candidates are Missoula attorneys, Katherine Lace Kuykendall and Lacey Lorene Lincoln, and CSKT Court of Appeals Chief Justice Kelly P. McDonald.
The 20th Judicial District encompasses Lake and Lincoln Counties. Gov. Greg Gianforte is seeking informational letters on each candidate. He intends to make a decision by the end of next month.
Cotter’s troubles began two years ago with concerns posed to the State Department of Justice about fraudulent billing practices in the Office of the Public Defender. It was a series of texts to an unidentified person that led to the drug charges. Cotter tells us he used cocaine “a long time ago” and that he’d stopped using when he ran for Judge. As that investigation concluded, it was referred to Flathead District Judge Amy Eddy who filed a report with the State Department of Justice.
Cotter was elected to the Lake/Sanders County Bench in November, to replace Judge Kim Christopher.
