Archives West Finding Aid

The Montana Code Commission was created on April 30, 1945 by order of the Supreme Court of the State of Montana in accordance with House Bill 320 of the Twenty-Ninth Legislative Assembly of the State of Montana in order to revise the Codes of Montana which were to be known as the Revised Codes of Montana, 1947. The commission consisted of the existing Code Commissioner, the Honorable I.W. Choate, and an appointed Advisory committee. This advisory committee consisted of the Honorable Donovan Worden, the Honorable Lew L. Callaway, and the Honorable M.J. Lamb, all members of the Bar of the State of Montana. These men were appointed to counsel, assist, and advice Choate in the preparation of the revision of the Codes of Montana. In March 1946, the Honorable H.A. Simmons of Red Lodge was appointed to the committee to fill the vacancy left by the death of M.J. Lamb.

On March 22, 1947, Wesley W. Wertz was appointed Code Commissioner. There is no documentation for the reason why there was this change in leadership. However, when Wertz was appointed commissioner, the staff of the former commissioner left with him, and all activity had ceased. Six months after assuming the office of Code Commissioner, Wertz submitted a report to the Supreme Court regarding the status of the revision. The revision was completed at the 1947 Revised Codes of Montana were adopted by the Thirtieth Legislative Assembly.