Montana Supreme Court Justice (ret.) Pat Cotter, spoke at a civics Education Day presented by MSU Wonderlust, The League of Women Voters of the Bozeman Area, and Bozeman Public Library on April 23, 2018. The full title of her talk, given in two parts, was: The Montana Supreme Court: Structure, Function, and the Law and Principles that Guide the Decision-Making Process.

The first session covered the structure and function of the Montana Supreme Court, including judge selection, determination of which cases reach the Supreme Court, and standards the Supreme Court applies when reviewing court decisions and jury verdicts, as well as the meaning and impact of judicial discretion.

The second session delved into the Montana Constitution and the statutes and case law that inform judicial decisions. The U.S. and Montana Constitutions were compared, and fundamental rights under the Montana Constitution were discussed.

This event was sponsored by MSU Wonderlust, a lifelong learning program of the MSU Extended University. Recorded on April 23, 2018 at the Bozeman Public Library.