MISSOULA (LN) — A Montana judge on Friday appointed Raph Graybill, Molly Danahy, and Andres Haladay as interim class counsel in a domestic violence class action against the State of Montana, granting the trio sole authority over litigation strategy and settlement negotiations.
In an order filed March 13 and docketed May 15, Judge Jason Marks of the Montana Fourth Judicial District Court in Missoula County granted the plaintiffs’ motion under Montana Rule of Civil Procedure 23(g)(3) to appoint the attorneys as interim class counsel in the case captioned Johnson et al v. State of Montana et al.
The order grants the appointed counsel "sole authority over all matters concerning the prosecution of this litigation on behalf of Plaintiffs and the proposed class."
Marks outlined the interim counsel’s duties, which include coordinating the preparation and presentation of the class’s claims, determining and presenting the class’s positions during litigation, and acting as spokespersons for all communications between the defendants and the proposed class.
The order further empowers the interim counsel to initiate and enter into settlement discussions or negotiations, and to conduct discovery and otherwise litigate the matter to resolution.
The case, filed in 2026, involves plaintiffs Zoe Johnson and Annette Claflin, who are proceeding on behalf of themselves and all others similarly situated against the State of Montana and the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services.
The appointment of interim counsel is a procedural milestone action, establishing a unified leadership structure for the plaintiffs as the case moves into active discovery and potential settlement phases.
The order was electronically signed by Judge Marks on March 13, 2026, and filed with the court on May 15, 2026.