James Rice
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James Rice (b. 1957) is an associate justice of the Montana Supreme Court, a position to which he was appointed in 2001 by then-governor Judy Martz, a Republican. His current term expires in 2014.
Rice was born to U.S. Military parents stationed at Ramore Air Force Base, near Kirkland Lake, Ontario, Canada. He grew up in eastern Montana, graduating from Glasgow High School in 1975. Obtaining his pilot's license at age 17, Justice Rice worked at aviation-related positions while he attended college, including work as a firefighter on a helitak quick response team for the Montana Dept. of Natural Resources and Conservation. He graduated from Montana State University with a B.A. in Political Science in 1979, and from the University of Montana School of Law in 1982. He completed legal internships at the offices of the Missoula City Attorney and the Lewis and Clark County Attorney.
Justice Rice and his wife, Norine, have three daughters.
Legal career
For four years, Rice worked as a public defender in Lewis and Clark County. He was elected to three terms in the Montana House of Representatives, and was selected as House Majority Whip in the 1993 session. From 1985 to 2001, he was a partner in the firm of Jackson & Rice of Helena, Montana.
