Sanders County – Elected Official Vacancy

Sanders County is accepting applications to fill an open elected-official vacancy. We will accept applications for an appointment as County Attorney until Monday, November 2, 2026, at 4:00 PM. Interviews are tentatively scheduled for later that week at a time to be announced.

A person is not eligible for a county office who, at the time of the election/appointment, is not:

1. Of the voting age required by the Montana Constitution;
2. A citizen of the state; and
3. (a) an elector of the county in which the duties of the office are to be exercised; or (b) in the case of an office consolidated between two or more counties, an elector in one of the counties in which the duties of the office are to be exercised.
4. This position requires a Juris Doctor degree. It also requires three years of experience in practice.
5. Applicants must be admitted to the Montana State Bar and admitted to practice before the U.S. Federal District Courts of Montana before appointment for employment.

7-4-2701. Qualifications for county attorney in certain counties. (1) A person is not eligible for the position of full-time county attorney in counties that have a population in excess of 30,000 unless the person is a citizen of the United States and has resided in the state 2 years immediately before taking office and has been admitted to the practice of law for at least 5 years before the date of election or appointment.

(2) A person is not eligible for the position of full-time county attorney in counties that have a population of less than 30,000 unless the person is a citizen of the United States and has resided in the state 2 years immediately before taking office and has been admitted to the practice of law for at least 3 years before the date of election or appointment.

(3) A person is not eligible for the position of part-time county attorney in counties that have a population of less than 30,000 unless the person is a citizen of the United States and resides in the state and has been admitted to the practice of law before taking office.

7-4-2711. County attorney to be legal adviser of county and other subdivisions. (1) The county attorney is the legal adviser of the board of county commissioners. The county attorney shall attend their meetings when required and shall attend and oppose all claims and accounts against the county that are unjust or illegal. The county attorney shall defend all suits brought against the county.

(2) The county attorney shall:

(a) give, when required and without fee, an opinion in writing to the county, district, and township officers on matters relating to the duties of their respective offices;

(b) act as counsel, without fee, for fire districts and fire service areas in unincorporated territories, towns, or villages within the county;

(c) when requested by a conservation district pursuant to 76-15-319, act as counsel, without fee;

(d) when requested by a weed district pursuant to 7-22-2109, act as counsel, without fee; and

(e) when requested by a county hospital board pursuant to 7-34-2115, act as counsel, without fee, unless the legal action requested involves the county commissioners.

Your resume and letter of interest should be sent to rwallace@sanderscounty.gov.

Questions should be directed to rwallace@sanderscounty.gov.