HELENA — Polson attorney James Manley has been appointed to serve as district court judge in Montana’s 20th Judicial District following a Friday announcement by Gov. Steve Bullock.

The selection will give a boost to the Lake County justice system, which has been operating shorthanded since the September retirement of Judge C.B. McNeil.

“I’m anxious and excited to get over there and get to work. I’m supposed to be concerned about the huge caseload that I’m inheriting, but I’m excited to jump into it,” Manley said.

He edged out a wide field of contenders, which had been narrowed to three finalists who were recently interviewed in Helena by the governor and two state attorneys.

Manley is targeting a Nov. 1 start date, and is closing out the private law practice he has run for nearly 35 years. He was contemplating retirement in the next few years before friends and colleagues persuaded him to apply for the vacant judgeship.

“The more I considered it, the more I thought it was time in my life to step up and give back to the judicial system that has given so much to me and my family,” he said.