See: United States of America v. Amanda Holland; United States of America v. Trennis Baer

Jason Trinity Holden is a successful trial attorney and appellate advocate with ten years of experience in employment litigation, commercial and business litigation, oil and gas litigation, insurance litigation, estate and trust litigation, torts and products liability, criminal defense and family law.

Jason has tried numerous civil and criminal jury and bench trials in front of Montana Federal and State district courts. Jason has also tried numerous cases in front of Montana administrative agencies and arbitrators.

In Jason's civil litigation practice, he focuses on the cost-effective use of the Rules of Civil Procedure. Jason's deposition and motion practice is geared toward getting every case ready for trial, but never loses sight of resolving every case through less risky or expensive means. Jason litigates cases in the area of oil and gas, breach of contract, insurance coverage, premises and products liability, copyright and trademark infringement, trade secrets, construction defects, partnership disputes, and estate and probate contests.

In Jason's criminal defense practice, he uses every available resource to prepare a case for trial. Jason relies on several experts and investigators to assist him. Jason has extensive experience in defending those accused of Federal crimes. Jason has represented clients charged with death penalty, deliberate homicide, negligent homicide, vehicular homicide, assault, DUI, white collar offenses, complex drug conspiracies, all Indian Country offenses in Federal Court, and sexual offenses in both Federal and State Court.

Jason routinely serves as local counsel for clients and their Pro Hac Vice counsel in State and Federal Court. The Montana Supreme Court and the Federal Court in Montana require that local counsel be actively involved in all aspects of litigation including, but not limited to, negotiations, discovery and trial.

Jason has represented numerous civil and criminal clients before the Montana Supreme Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Jason has also prepared numerous Writ of Certiorari Petitions to the Supreme Court of the United States for his criminal clients.

Jason's success as a trial attorney and appellate advocate is based on the strong work ethic he acquired growing up in the blue-collar railroad town of Havre, Montana. Jason attended Concordia College for a time before he received his Bachelor of Arts degree, with high honors, from the University of Montana where he majored in Political Science and graduated from the Davidson Honors College as a University Scholor.

After college Jason received his Juris Doctorate degree, with honors, from the University of Montana School of Law. During law school Jason served as a member and co-conference coordinator for the Public Land and Resources Law Review where his work on the United States Supreme Court case of City of Monterey v. Del Monte Dunes at Monterey, Ltd., 526 U.S. 687 (1999) was selected for publication. See, Paving a Road, Reaffirming a Roadblock, 21 Pub L.R.LR 145 (2000). Jason also received the Norman Hanson Legal Writing Award in Appellate Advocacy. Emphasizing his ability as an effective and skilled criminal defense attorney, Jason served as an Assistant Federal Defender with the Federal Defenders of Montana, Inc. from 2003-2004. Jason's time with the Federal Defenders allowed him to emphasize his trial and appellate Federal criminal defense practice. Jason currently serves on the Criminal Justice Act (CJA) Panel for the District of Montana. In addition to his trial and appellate practice, Jason serves his community and bar. He is currently the Vice-President for the Montana Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. Jason also is an elected Trustee for the Board of Trustees for the State Bar of Montana. He is a former member of the Board of Directors for the New Lawyers Section of the Montana State Bar Association and served as the Section's President in 2003-2004. Jason's skills as a trial attorney and appellate advocate have been recognized by his peers: In 2010 and 2011 Jason was selected for inclusion in the Mountain States Rising Stars in Civil Litigation, Defense. The Rising Stars publication features the outstanding young lawyers in the State of Montana and is an honor given to only 2.5% of Montana lawyers; In 2011 Jason was the co-recipient of the Neil Haight Pro Bono Award from the State Bar of Montana. Jason received the award for his excellent and tireless work on behalf of the Cascade County Pro-Bono Law Clinic; and In 2007 Jason was recognized as one of the finest trial attorneys in the State of Montana when he was co-recipient of the Criminal Defense Trial Lawyer of the Year from the Montana Criminal Defense Trial Lawyers Association. Jason received the award for the work he undertook on behalf of a client charged with the death penalty as a result of an alleged deliberate homicide. Areas of Practice Employment Litigation Commercial and Business Litigation Oil and Gas Litigation Insurance Litigation Estate and Trust Litigation Torts and Products Liability Federal and State Criminal Defense Family Law Appellate Advocacy Education 2001 J.D., with honors, University of Montana School of Law Member, Public Land and Resources Law Review Norman Hanson Legal Writing Award in Appellate Advocacy 1998 B.A., with high honors, University of Montana, Political Science University Scholar, Davidson Honors College Professional Affiliations Member, State Bar of Montana Member, Board of Trustees, State Bar of Montana Vice-President, Montana Criminal Defense Trial Lawyers Association Life Member, Montana Criminal Defense Trial Lawyers Association Member, Montana Defense Trial Lawyers Member, Criminal Justice Act Panel, District of Montana Past-President, New Lawyers Chapter, Cascade County Bar Association Past-President, State Bar of Montana New Lawyers Section Court Admissions State Bar of Montana United States District Court, District of Montana Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Supreme Court of the United States Publications Paving a Road, Reaffirming a Roadblock, 21 Pub L.R.LR 145 (2000) Honors 2009 - current: Mountain States Rising Star 2011: Neil Haight Pro Bono Award 2007: Criminal Defense Trial Lawyer of the Year