Walker v. Colberg
Walker v. Colberg
Opinion of the Court
ORDER
On September 4,1991, petitioner, Alton Eugene Walker, filed with this Court a petition for writ of mandamus requesting that this Court issue an order directing the Honorable Maurice R. Colberg, District Judge, to issue an order granting petitioner copies of all transcripts, minutes and documents in a matter currently pending in Judge Colberg’s court in Yellowstone County.
Petitioner alleges that he filed a motion with Judge Colberg on
In response to this matter, this Court on September 5, 1991, ordered a response from the County Attorney of Yellowstone County and a response from the Attorney General concerning petitioner’s motion.
The Attorney General, on behalf of Judge Colberg, moved in its response to this Court that this matter be dismissed “[o]n the grounds that the petitioner has failed to state a claim upon which relief can be granted. More particularly, petitioner Walker has failed to give any reason why this Court should interfere in a matter currently pending before the District Court of the Thirteenth Judicial District.”
Such writ of mandamus “will only issue where there has been a showing that a clear legal duty exists and there is no speedy or adequate remedy in the ordinary course of law.” State ex rel. Intake Water Co. v. Board of Natural Resources and Conservation (1982), 197 Mont. 482, 487, 645 P.2d 383, 386, cert. denied, 459 U.S. 969 (1982).
As the State’s response notes:
“Further, with respect to judicial officers, mandamus does not lie to compel a discretionary action (State ex rel. Werner v. District Court of the First Judicial District, 142 Mont. 145, 153, 382 P.2d 824, 829, (1963)), but only to compel performance of an affirmative
IT IS ORDERED that the writ of mandamus requested is DENIED.
The Clerk is directed to mail a true copy hereof to the County Attorney of Yellowstone County, to the Attorney General of the State of Montana, to the Honorable Maurice R. Colberg, District Judge, and to the petitioner, personally.
DATED this 29th day of October, 1991.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.