Yellowstone Times

The Montana Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments at Montana State University on March 6, with over 300 middle and high school students from across the state expected to attend. This event, part of National Law Day observances, will take place from 10 a.m. to noon in the Strand Union Building, Ballroom A, and is open to the public.

Christopher Pruden, event coordinator and MSU’s student success event manager, emphasized the educational value of Law Day. “It’s a real, live-action example of American civics,” he said.

The case under consideration involves Mark Mullee's claim against Winter Sports, Inc. (WSI), alleging negligence in maintaining fencing at Whitefish Mountain Resort which led to his serious injury. The 11th Judicial District Court had previously ruled in favor of WSI on May 28, 2024, prompting Mullee's appeal.

On January 6, 2019, Mullee was skiing down a trail marked as a slow zone for children and handicapped skiers when he lost control on an icy patch and fell over a cliff, fracturing his pelvis. WSI contended that they had placed a fence near the embankment as a warning about the cliff. However, there were inconsistencies noted in their report regarding trail grooming.

The Montana Supreme Court will address four key issues: whether the district court erred in granting summary judgment for WSI without a full trial; whether Mullee’s motion for summary judgment should have been denied; if Mullee’s expert witnesses were rightfully excluded from testifying; and why WSI’s expert was allowed to testify despite being unavailable for deposition and lacking disclosed facts supporting his opinion.

MSU's Law Day is organized by the university's Department of Political Science, Pre-Law Club, the State Bar of Montana, and the 18th Judicial District Court.