MISSOULA — The Missoula County commissioners tapped Matt Jennings to serve as interim county attorney on Thursday, March 14, 2024.
Jennings will begin this new role on April 1 following the retirement of Kirsten Pabst, who announced her departure in February after serving as county attorney for nearly a decade.
He has worked in the Missoula County Attorney’s Office for the past 10 years, including the last five as the chief criminal deputy attorney.
Jennings previously clerked for retired District Court Judge Karen Townsend and worked as a legislative assistant for U.S. Sen. Jon Tester in Washington, D.C. Jennings earned both his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Montana. Prior to starting law school, Jennings worked as a vice president of government affairs for a renewable energy company.
The Missoula County Attorney’s office is responsible for prosecuting criminal offenses, dependency and neglect proceedings, mental health commitments and representing the County government in legal proceedings.
Jennings will need to run in the general election this November to continue serving the remainder of Pabst’s term, which runs through 2026.
“I look forward to advancing Missoula’s innovative and creative approaches to criminal justice by balancing accountability and victim services with offender rehabilitation and targeting the root causes of criminal behavior, like substance use and mental health,” Jennings said. “On the civil side of our office, we provide top-notch legal services in a cost-effective manner to solve problems and make government work for the people of Missoula. It’s an honor to serve in this new role. I appreciate the trust and faith put in me from Kirsten Pabst and the county commissioners.”
