David Ortley never planned to be a judge.

But after serving as one for 15 years, the 58-year-old Ortley has put his name in the hat for appointment to the Montana Supreme Court.

Ortley is the only district judge seeking the eight-year term.

He and Kalispell attorney Amy Eddy are the only Flathead County candidates among the 15 applicants to the high court opening created when Brian Morris became a federal judge.

Ortley previously applied for a Montana Supreme Court appointment in 2009 but was unsuccessful.

Ortley’s path to the bench began when he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in law enforcement from Mankato State University in his hometown of Mankato, Minn. Even his 1983 graduation from the Hamline School of Law in St. Paul, Minn., was for the specific purpose of pursuing a career in federal law enforcement.

“I ended up with an opportunity presenting itself to practice law in my hometown at a prestigious law firm, and I decided that was a better course for me because I wanted to raise a family,” Ortley said.

After working as an attorney for six years at the law firm of Blethen, Gage and Krause, Ortley moved to Kalispell in fall 1989 and began practicing law on his own. It was during that period of time, Ortley said, that he realized his passion for the law.

In 1999, Ortley ran unsuccessfully against Stewart Stadler for a newly created third Flathead District Court judgeship. Despite that loss, he was encouraged by the other District Court judges to run for Stadler’s vacant justice of the peace seat, an effort in which he was successful.

Ortley ran to retain the seat in 2000 and won re-election in 2002 and 2006 before finally getting another shot at District Court when a fourth judge was added. Ortley took office in January 2010.

With 17 years as an attorney and 15 years on the bench, Ortley now has his sights set on the state’s highest court.

“I’ve always followed the Supreme Court and its opinion and the direction of the law under whichever justices happened to be serving at the time, and I always felt that the Supreme Court ought to reflect the diversity of Montana,” Ortley said. “Particularly the people, not just geographical, but the people and the type of people.”

He also said he believes it is important for the Supreme Court to include at least one person with the experience that a trial court brings, “a flavor of what’s going on in the real world” — something he said the high court is sometimes criticized for lacking.

It is that experience that Ortley says makes him uniquely qualified to become Montana’s next Supreme Court justice.

“I’ve always believed if you want to make a difference, you’ve got to stand up and be a part of that process rather than just sitting back and complaining. And again, I have nothing but the greatest respect for the Supreme Court,” he said. “Their job, like the job of any judge, is very, very difficult. I’m just willing to go and do my part on behalf of trial-court judges across the state.”

The Montana Judicial Nomination Commission is reviewing the applicants for the Montana Supreme Court. March 19 is the deadline for public comment and the commission will forward names of finalists April 9 to Gov. Steve Bullock. The governor has a May 9 deadline to make the appointment.

Reporter Jesse Davis may be reached at 758-4441 or by email at jdavis@dailyinterlake.com.