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Michael McGrath (born August 22, 1947) is an American lawyer and judge who served as the chief justice of the Montana Supreme Court from 2009 to 2025. He also served as the attorney general of Montana from 2000 to 2008. He is a veteran of the United States Air Force.
He served as Prosecutor for Lewis and Clark County for five terms spanning 1982 to 2000. In his eighteen years as a prosecutor, McGrath focused on family violence issues, including domestic abuse and sexual assault of children. He ran an unsuccessful campaign against Marc Racicot for Attorney General in 1988.
McGrath defeated Jim Rice for Montana Attorney General in 2000. He won a second term in 2004. As Attorney General, he focused on methamphetamine prevention and natural resource and land issues. In 2005, Montana was ranked as fifth worst for meth abuse among US states. Catalytic Philanthropy , Stanford Social Innovation Review, Fall 2009
McGrath campaigned against Ron Waterman for Chief Justice of the Montana Supreme Court in 2008. He took office in January 2009 on the seat vacated by Karla Gray. He ran unopposed in 2016 for another eight-year term. McGrath stated he would not run for re-election in 2024.
Besides his legal career, McGrath ran for Governor of Montana in 1992. He lost in the Democratic primary to former State Representative Dorothy Bradley.
He is a former chair of the Conference of Western Attorneys General and served as president of the Montana County Attorneys' Association.
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