{ "id": "ep9558j6e7", "slug": "donald-w-molloy", "title": "Donald W. Molloy", "updated": "2026-10-15", "topic_path": [ { "id": "society", "label": "Society and history", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society" }, { "id": "society.law", "label": "Law and justice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law" }, { "id": "society.law.practice", "label": "Courts and legal practice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people", "label": "Legal biographies", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us", "label": "United States judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal", "label": "US federal judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3", "label": "Article III judges (district and appellate)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges", "label": "United States district court judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-mc-to-my", "label": "Surnames Mc to My", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-mc-to-my" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-mc-to-my", "label": "United States · 2021 and later: Surnames Mc to My", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-mc-to-my", "path": [ { "id": "geo.us", "label": "United States", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021", "label": "United States · 2021 and later", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society", "label": "Society and history", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law", "label": "Law and justice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice", "label": "Courts and legal practice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people", "label": "Legal biographies", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us", "label": "United States judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal", "label": "US federal judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges", "label": "United States district court judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-mc-to-my", "label": "Surnames Mc to My", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-mc-to-my" } ] } ], "excerpt": "Donald W. Molloy (born 1946) is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge in Montana since 1996; appointed by Bill Clinton, he was chief judge from 2001 to 2008.", "snippet": "Donald W. Molloy (born 1946) is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge in Montana since 1996; appointed by Bill Clinton, he was chief judge from 2001 to 2008.", "node": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-mc-to-my", "markdown": "# Donald W. Molloy\n\nDonald W. Molloy (born 1946) is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Montana since 1996. He was appointed by President Bill Clinton and assumed senior status in 2011. He served as chief judge of the court from 2001 to 2008.[1](https://www.mtd.uscourts.gov/sites/mtd/files/Judgeship%201.pdf)\n\n| Fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Court | U.S. District Court for the District of Montana[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1385241) |\n| Appointed by | Bill Clinton[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1385241) |\n| Confirmed | July 18, 1996, by voice vote[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1385241) |\n| Senior status | August 16, 2011[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1385241) |\n| Born | 1946 in Butte, Montana[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1385241) |\n| Education | B.A., University of Montana, 1968; J.D., University of Montana School of Law, 1976[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1385241) |\n\n## Early life and education\n\nMolloy was born in 1946 in [Butte, Montana](https://www.edgepedia.org/butte-montana).[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1385241) He received a [Bachelor of Arts](https://www.edgepedia.org/bachelor-of-arts) from the [University of Montana](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-montana) in 1968 and a Juris Doctor from the University of Montana School of Law in 1976.[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1385241)\n\nAfter completing his undergraduate degree, Molloy entered active duty with the [United States Navy](https://www.edgepedia.org/united-states-navy) in 1968. He served in naval aviation aboard the USS John F. Kennedy (CVA-67) and was released from active duty in 1973 with the rank of lieutenant.[3](https://www.mtd.uscourts.gov/hon-donald-w-molloy-chambers)\n\n## Legal career\n\nFollowing his military service, Molloy returned to Montana for law school. After graduating in 1976, he served as a law clerk to Judge James F. Battin of the United States District Court for the District of Montana from 1976 to 1978.[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1385241)\n\nMolloy then entered private practice in [Billings, Montana](https://www.edgepedia.org/billings-montana), where he practiced from 1978 until 1995.[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1385241) During that period he was a partner at Anderson Edwards & Molloy from 1980 to 1990 and at Anderson & Molloy from 1990 to 1991, and thereafter practiced with the Molloy Law Offices.[3](https://www.mtd.uscourts.gov/hon-donald-w-molloy-chambers) He is a member of the State Bar of Montana, the American College of Trial Lawyers, and a founding member of the Montana chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates.[4](https://www.mtd.uscourts.gov/content/hon-donald-w-molloy-us-district-court-judge)\n\n## Federal judicial service\n\nPresident [Bill Clinton](https://www.edgepedia.org/bill-clinton) nominated Molloy to the United States District Court for the District of Montana on December 21, 1995, to a seat that had been vacated when the prior occupant of Judgeship #1 assumed senior status.[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1385241) • [1](https://www.mtd.uscourts.gov/sites/mtd/files/Judgeship%201.pdf) The Senate confirmed him by voice vote on July 18, 1996, and he received his commission on August 1, 1996.[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1385241)\n\nMolloy served as chief judge of the District of Montana from 2001 to 2008.[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1385241) During that period he also served on the Ninth Circuit Chief Judges Conference and, from 2007 to 2008, on the Ninth Circuit Judicial Council Executive Committee; he served on the Ninth Circuit Judicial Council from 2006 to 2008.[4](https://www.mtd.uscourts.gov/content/hon-donald-w-molloy-us-district-court-judge) He has served on the Federal Criminal Rules Advisory Committee since 2007.[4](https://www.mtd.uscourts.gov/content/hon-donald-w-molloy-us-district-court-judge) Molloy assumed senior status on August 16, 2011.[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1385241)\n\n## Notable cases\n\n**Gray wolf delisting.** In 2008, Molloy denied a request by environmental and animal welfare groups to block the first organized wolf hunts in Idaho and Montana in decades, finding that plans to kill more than 20 percent of the estimated 1,350 wolves in the two states would not cause long-term harm to the species. In his 14-page ruling, however, he wrote that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service appeared to have violated the Endangered Species Act by carving Wyoming out of its decision to lift protections elsewhere in the region, stating, \"The service has distinguished a natural population of wolves based on a political line, not the best available science. That, by definition, seems arbitrary and capricious.\"[5](https://chargerbulletin.com/judge-faults-removal-of-wolf-from-endangered-list/)\n\n**Kootenai National Forest logging projects.** Molloy halted three logging projects in the Kootenai National Forest after ruling in a 69-page opinion that the U.S. Forest Service had violated the [National Environmental Policy Act](https://www.edgepedia.org/national-environmental-policy-act) by failing to fully evaluate how the work would affect endangered grizzly bears. He wrote, \"An agency must provide support for its choice of analysis area and must show that it considered the relevant factors.\" He further ruled that the Forest Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service violated the Endangered Species Act by not explaining how they concluded that helicopter logging within the Cabinet-Yaak Grizzly Bear Recovery Zone would not adversely affect bears, and that the Forest Service erred in authorizing damage to grizzly habitat outside the recovery zone without an incidental take statement from the Fish and Wildlife Service.[6](https://www.allianceforthewildrockies.org/judge-halts-kootenai-logging-projects/)\n\n## References\n\n1. [District of Montana - Judgeship #1](https://www.mtd.uscourts.gov/sites/mtd/files/Judgeship%201.pdf)\n2. [Molloy, Donald W. | Biographical Directory of Article III Federal Judges](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1385241)\n3. [Hon. Donald W. Molloy Chambers | District of Montana](https://www.mtd.uscourts.gov/hon-donald-w-molloy-chambers)\n4. [Hon. Donald W. Molloy, U.S. District Court Judge | District of Montana](https://www.mtd.uscourts.gov/content/hon-donald-w-molloy-us-district-court-judge)\n5. [Judge Faults Removal of Wolf From Endangered List](https://chargerbulletin.com/judge-faults-removal-of-wolf-from-endangered-list/)\n6. [Judge Halts Kootenai Logging Projects](https://www.allianceforthewildrockies.org/judge-halts-kootenai-logging-projects/)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Society and history › Law and justice › Courts and legal practice › Legal biographies › United States judges › US federal judges › Article III judges (district and appellate) › United States district court judges › Surnames Mc to My*\n\n*Initially written Sep 27, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 29, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026 · Last review: Sep 29, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n", "same_as": [], "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/donald-w-molloy", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/donald-w-molloy.md", "license": { "name": "Edgepedia Community License 1.0", "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license", "summary": "Free with credit, commercial use included. AI training is open to everyone. For other uses, organizations over USD 100M in revenue or 100M monthly users license separately.", "spdx": "LicenseRef-Edgepedia-Community-1.0" }, "credit": "\"Donald W. Molloy\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/donald-w-molloy. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[Donald W. Molloy](https://www.edgepedia.org/donald-w-molloy)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/donald-w-molloy](https://www.edgepedia.org/donald-w-molloy). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"Donald W. Molloy\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/donald-w-molloy. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "Donald W. Molloy is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge in Montana since 1996; appointed by Bill Clinton, he was chief judge from 2001 to 2008." }