The Hon. John W. Larson is a judge for the 4th Judicial District Court of Montana. He was appointed to the bench by former Governor Marc Racicot in 1993.
The 4th Judicial District includes Mineral and Missoula Counties.
During his judicial tenure, Larson is credited with establishing the state’s first drug treatment court in 1996 and has served as a member of the Montana Supreme Court Drug Court Advisory Committee.
He joined the court after serving as the last part-time United States Magistrate in Missoula (1989 to 1992) and worked for seventeen years as a private practice attorney. Larson began his legal career as a law clerk to the Montana Supreme Court.
He received a bachelor’s degree from Carleton College in 1972. Larson then completed a J.D. at the University of Puget Sound School of Law in 1975.
His memberships include the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, the Montana Judges Association (past president), and the Montana Legal Services Board of Directors.
Larson was named Judge of the Year by the National Court Appointed Special Advocate Program.
He was raised in Helena, Montana. Larson and his wife have two children.