Dan Wilson for Supreme Court Justice
Nonpartisan position
By Denise Rivette
Montana Independent News posed the same four questions to all candidates for Supreme Court Justice. Dan Wilson’s views are presented in their entirety below.
What are the Montana values that will guide your decision-making?
The Montana values passed down to me from my grandparents and parents are the most important in my approach to decision-making and are the values that guide me. Faith in our country and our state and our U.S. and Montana Constitutions, dedication to hard work and honesty, and devotion to the rule of law are the values I bring to my work as a district court judge and that I will bring to my work as a justice of the Supreme Court.
What skills, knowledge and experience do you possess that make you the better candidate?
The skills, knowledge and experience I gained in more than 13 years as a judge deciding hundreds of cases in all areas of the law, along with my nearly 20 years of experience as an attorney before I became a judge representing individuals, businesses, and the State in virtually every kind of case, all add up to make me the better candidate.
What is your approach to judicial decision-making?
My judicial philosophy and my approach to judicial decision-making is simple: interpret and apply the provisions of the United States and Montana Constitutions and all laws according to their original intent and plain meaning. Do not follow the views of special interests or personal views to determine the outcome of any case. Respect the rule of law, including the law of precedent, and do not legislate from the bench.
As Justice what do you hope to accomplish?
I intend to decide all cases strictly according to the Constitution and the laws that bind all of us and to write decisions that every Montanan can appreciate, understand, and respect.