James C. Nelson

James C. Nelson (born February 20, 1944) is a Justice of the Montana Supreme Court, having been appointed to the Court by Republican Governor Marc Racicot in May 1993.

Born in Moscow, Idaho, Nelson earned his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Idaho in 1966. After graduating, he served in the United States Army for three years, being discharged as a First Lieutenant in 1969 to serve as a financial analyst with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

After earning his Juris Doctor degree with honors from George Washington University Law School in 1974, he moved to Cut Bank, Montana to take over his father-in-law's law firm. After representing a Native American tribe, the tribe gave him the honorary name of E-E-Nistowas, or Buffalo Body.

During this time, he served as President of the Glacier Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of the Montana Board of Oil and Gas Conservation, and a member of the Montana Gaming Advisory Council and the Governor's Task Force on Corrections and Criminal Justice Policy. He served as Glacier County Attorney (the county's top prosecutor) until May 1993 when Republican Governor Marc Racicot (the Chairman of the George W. Bush's 2004 presidential campaign) appointed Nelson to the Montana Supreme Court.