President Trump’s nominee for Federal Judge in Billings has received her Senate confirmation, replacing Judge Susan Watters.
Bozeman attorney Katie Lane (pictured) now has a lifetime appointment to the Federal Bench, her nomination shepherded through the process by Sen. Steve Daines. She worked on Daine’s first campaign, has also worked for Montana GOP Chair Art Wittich and Attorney General Austin Knudsen. She has also done work for the Republican National Committee.
It wasn’t an easy confirmation for Judge Lane. Before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Chairman Chuck Grassley, a Republican from Iowa, noted Katie Lane’s legal qualifications, but questioned her lack of judicial experience. That was the opinion expressed by the A-B-A, noting she has less than 8-years experience in the trial courts and less than 7-years as a litigator.
A-B-A Standing Committee hair Pamela Roberts tells us, “Ms. Lane has never tried a case as lead counsel, whether civil or criminal. Her trial experience consists of serving as fourth-chair counsel in a bench trial in 2025, where she briefly cross-examined one witness. She has first-chaired only one deposition.”
The White House called the A-B-A ratings “useless and partisan”.
