Cory Swanson | |
|---|---|
| Chief Justice of the Montana Supreme Court | |
| Assumed office January 6, 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Mike McGrath |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Cory James Swanson [1] November 25,1976 |
| Political party | Republican [2] |
| Education | Carroll College (BA) University of Montana (JD) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | |
| Branch/service | |
| Years of service | 1997–present |
| Rank | Colonel |
| Unit | 1-163rd Mechanized Infantry / Combined Arms Battalion |
| Battles/wars | Operation Spartan Shield |
| Awards | Bronze Star Meritorious Service Medal Army Commendation Medal |
Cory Swanson (born November 25, 1976) [3] [4] is an American lawyer who has served as the chief justice of the Montana Supreme Court since January 2025. He was previously the Broadwater County attorney from 2014 to 2025.
Swanson received a Bachelor of Arts from Carroll College in 2000 and a Juris Doctor from the Alexander Blewett III School of Law of the University of Montana in 2004. [5]
Swanson joined the Montana Army National Guard in June 1997 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in August 1998. He had multiple deployments to the Middle East and will retire with the rank of colonel. [6]
From 2013 to 2014, he served as deputy attorney general under then-Montana Attorney General Tim Fox. [7] He was elected as Broadwater County attorney in 2014 and subsequently re-elected in 2018 and 2022. [8]
In December 2023, Swanson announced his candidacy to run for position of chief justice of the Montana Supreme Court. [7] His candidacy was supported by local sheriffs [9] and the Montana Chamber of Commerce. [10] Swanson won the general election held on November 5, 2024, defeating former Federal Magistrate Judge Jeremiah Lynch. [11] He was sworn into office on January 6, 2025. [12]
Swanson has been married Julie since July 2007. He and Julie reside in Townsend with their son and daughter. [6]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Cory Swanson | 296,545 | 54% | |
| Nonpartisan | Jeremiah Lynch | 254,595 | 46% | |
| Total votes | 551,140 | 100.00 | ||