{ "id": "ep4z5wy3b4", "slug": "susan-p-watters", "title": "Susan P. 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Watters, born 1958, is a senior United States district judge for the District of Montana, appointed by President Barack Obama in 2013.", "snippet": "Susan P. Watters, born 1958, is a senior United States district judge for the District of Montana, appointed by President Barack Obama in 2013.", "node": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-t-to-wo", "markdown": "# Susan P. Watters\n\nSusan Pamela Watters (born 1958) is an American jurist serving as a senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Montana.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394336) She was appointed to the court by President Barack Obama, receiving her commission in 2013.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394336) She assumed senior status on June 8, 2026, and was the first woman appointed as a [United States district court](https://www.edgepedia.org/united-states-district-court) judge in the state of Montana.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394336) • [2](https://www.mtd.uscourts.gov/sites/mtd/files/Court_Announcement_Judge-Watters_Senior-Status.pdf)\n\n| Fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Court | U.S. District Court for the District of Montana[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394336) |\n| Appointed by | Barack Obama[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394336) |\n| Confirmed | December 12, 2013 (Senate voted 77 to 19)[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394336) • [3](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1130268) |\n| Senior status | June 8, 2026[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394336) |\n| Born | 1958 in Billings, Montana[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394336) |\n| Education | B.A., Eastern Montana College (now Montana State University Billings), 1980; J.D., University of Montana School of Law, 1988[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394336) |\n\n## Early life and education\n\nWatters was born in 1958 in [Billings, Montana](https://www.edgepedia.org/billings-montana), and was raised there.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394336) • [2](https://www.mtd.uscourts.gov/sites/mtd/files/Court_Announcement_Judge-Watters_Senior-Status.pdf) She earned a [Bachelor of Arts](https://www.edgepedia.org/bachelor-of-arts) degree from Eastern Montana College, now Montana State University Billings, in 1980.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394336) She received her [Juris Doctor](https://www.edgepedia.org/juris-doctor) from the University of Montana School of Law in 1988.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394336)\n\n## Legal career\n\nAfter law school, Watters served as a law clerk to Judge Diane G. Barz of the Montana District Court, Thirteenth Judicial District, from 1988 to 1989, and then as a law clerk to Judge Maurice Colberg of the same district in 1989.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394336) From 1989 to 1995 she was a deputy county attorney in the Yellowstone County Attorney's Office.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394336) She entered private practice in Billings, Montana, from 1995 to 1998, including with the firm Hendrickson, Everson, Noennig & Woodward.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394336) • [4](https://www.mtd.uscourts.gov/content/hon-susan-p-watters-us-district-court-judge) In 1998 she became a judge of the Montana District Court, Thirteenth Judicial District, where she served until 2013.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394336)\n\n## Federal judicial service\n\nPresident [Barack Obama](https://www.edgepedia.org/barack-obama) nominated Watters to the United States District Court for the District of Montana on May 23, 2013.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394336) The United States Senate confirmed her on December 12, 2013, by a vote of 77 to 19.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394336) • [3](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1130268) She received her commission on December 18, 2013.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394336) She was the first woman appointed as a United States district court judge in the state of Montana.[2](https://www.mtd.uscourts.gov/sites/mtd/files/Court_Announcement_Judge-Watters_Senior-Status.pdf) Watters informed President Trump and Montana's congressional delegation by letter dated June 30, 2025, that she would assume senior status, and she did so effective June 8, 2026.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394336) • [2](https://www.mtd.uscourts.gov/sites/mtd/files/Court_Announcement_Judge-Watters_Senior-Status.pdf) Her decision created a vacancy in the district's statutory allotment of three active-duty federal district judges, which has since been filled by [Kathleen S. Lane](https://www.edgepedia.org/kathleen-s-lane), who took the oath of office and began her service as a United States District Court Judge for the District of Montana on July 13, 2026.[2](https://www.mtd.uscourts.gov/sites/mtd/files/Court_Announcement_Judge-Watters_Senior-Status.pdf)\n\n## References\n\n1. [Biographical Directory of Article III Federal Judges: Susan Pamela Watters](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394336)\n2. [Court Announcement: Judge Watters Senior Status](https://www.mtd.uscourts.gov/sites/mtd/files/Court_Announcement_Judge-Watters_Senior-Status.pdf)\n3. [Senate Roll Call Vote RS1130268](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1130268)\n4. [Hon. Susan P. Watters, U.S. District Court Judge](https://www.mtd.uscourts.gov/content/hon-susan-p-watters-us-district-court-judge)\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 T to Wo*\n\n*Initially written Sep 27, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 29, 2026 · Edited: Sep 29, 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/susan-p-watters", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/susan-p-watters.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": "\"Susan P. Watters\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/susan-p-watters. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[Susan P. Watters](https://www.edgepedia.org/susan-p-watters)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/susan-p-watters](https://www.edgepedia.org/susan-p-watters). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"Susan P. Watters\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/susan-p-watters. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "Susan P. Watters, born 1958, is a senior United States district judge for the District of Montana, appointed by President Barack Obama in 2013." }