Donald Trump has nominated Montana attorney Katie Lane to serve as a judge on the U.S. District Court for the District of Montana, filling a vacancy created by the departure of Judge Susan Watters.
“Katie is Highly Qualified and Respected, and will boldly defend our Constitution,” Mr. Trump wrote in a post announcing the nomination.
Ms. Lane, formerly known as Katie Smithgall, previously served as deputy solicitor general under Austin Knudsen from May 2021 to March 2023. In that role, she helped defend Montana statutes in federal court and worked on litigation challenging several Biden administration policies.
Following her tenure in Montana, Ms. Lane joined the Republican National Committee as senior counsel for litigation, where she was involved in election-related legal matters. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Furman University and a law degree from George Mason University, and previously clerked for two federal judges.
If confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Ms. Lane would serve on Montana’s federal trial court, which hears cases ranging from constitutional disputes and federal criminal prosecutions to public-lands litigation and energy-sector challenges. Federal judicial nominations require Senate confirmation, a process that can take months depending on committee review and floor scheduling.
Montana’s Republican senators, Steve Daines and Tim Sheehy, issued a joint statement backing the nomination.
“We congratulate Katie Lane on her nomination to serve as the next District Judge for Montana,” the senators said. “Katie’s experience as Deputy Solicitor General for the State of Montana and in various courts across America gives her the skills and perspectives to serve Montana as District Judge. We will work diligently with Senate leadership and our colleagues to confirm her nomination.”
Attorney General Knudsen also praised the selection, citing Ms. Lane’s role in defending state laws during her tenure in his office.
“President Trump could not have made a better pick,” Mr. Knudsen said, adding that he was confident she would bring “valuable experience and integrity to the bench.”
The nomination marks Mr. Trump’s second judicial pick for Montana during his current term and continues a broader effort to reshape the federal judiciary with nominees aligned with his constitutional and regulatory priorities. The Senate Judiciary Committee is expected to schedule confirmation proceedings in the coming weeks.
