Beaverhead County District Court Calendar: Initial Appearances, Pretrial Conferences and Status Hearings Scheduled October 13–15
DILLON, Mont. — Several criminal and civil matters are scheduled to come before Montana's Fifth Judicial District Court in Beaverhead County during the week of October 12–16, 2026.
The court calendar includes four initial appearances, five pretrial conferences, a status conference, a guardianship petition and two closed juvenile proceedings.
The majority of hearings are scheduled for Tuesday, October 13, with additional proceedings set for Thursday, October 15.
Tuesday, October 13 — Criminal Proceedings
The court's Tuesday morning calendar begins at 9 a.m. with four initial appearances.
The following cases are scheduled:
An initial appearance is generally an early stage of criminal proceedings during which a defendant appears before the court and is advised of the charges and applicable rights.
The published calendar does not identify the specific charges associated with these cases.
Five Pretrial Conferences Scheduled
Following the initial appearances, the court will hold several pretrial conferences.
These proceedings allow the court and attorneys to address scheduling, case preparation and other matters before trial.
The scheduled cases include:
9:40 a.m. — State vs. Kenworthy: Pretrial conference, Case #25-4300.
9:50 a.m. — State vs. Ward: Pretrial conference, Case #25-4329.
10:00 a.m. — State vs. Olmstead: Pretrial conference, Case #26-4371.
10:10 a.m. — State vs. Dwyer: Pretrial conference, Case #26-4351.
10:20 a.m. — State vs. Raasakka: Pretrial conference, Case #26-4372.
The calendar does not provide details about the underlying allegations or charges in these cases.
Sepanski Case Scheduled for Status Conference
At 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, the court has scheduled a status conference in State vs. Sepanski, Cases #25-4330 and #25-4331.
The calendar lists Margot Newman as the attorney for the state and Tyler Dugger as defense counsel.
A status conference generally allows the court to review the progress of a case and address outstanding matters or future scheduling.
The court calendar does not specify what issues will be addressed during this hearing.
Guardianship Petition Scheduled Tuesday Afternoon
At 1:30 p.m., the court is scheduled to hear a petition for guardianship in Case #26-5297, listed as In re TC.
Attorney Jill Gannon-Nagle is listed in connection with the proceeding.
Thursday, October 15 — Closed Juvenile Hearings
Two juvenile matters are scheduled for Thursday afternoon. Both proceedings are designated as closed on the court calendar.
Because these proceedings are closed, they are not open to general public observation.
Holiday and Other Court Scheduling
The calendar identifies Monday, October 12, as the Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples' Day holiday.
On Wednesday, October 14, Judge Berger is scheduled to be in Boulder.
No hearings are listed for Friday, October 16, on the published Beaverhead County law and motion calendar.
Public Access to Court Proceedings
Members of the public wishing to observe eligible court proceedings remotely can find Zoom information through the Beaverhead County Clerk of District Court website.
The court requires participants using Zoom to sign in with their first and last names. Individuals who do not follow that requirement will not be allowed to view proceedings.
The court notes that all scheduled hearings and times are subject to change.
Editor's Note: A scheduled criminal court appearance does not indicate guilt. All defendants facing criminal charges are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court. This article is based on the court's published law and motion calendar for October 12–16, 2026.
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