Ashley Harada has a history of service in Montana going back generations. Her father, Donald Hossack, was assistant chief of police in Kalispell. More notably, in 2009, he belatedly received the Silver Star for "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action" as a Marine during the Vietnam War. The event included him diving onto a grenade that landed in his company's foxhole and shielding the rest of the men from the blast with his own body. Donald Hossack's bravery and selflessness clearly inspired his daughter.
Ashley grew up in Kalispell and finished high school in Havre. There, she met her future husband, Tim Harada. After graduating, she went to MSU Northern in Havre, working full-time to support herself. Her job was what first inspired her to be a lawyer - she was a secretary, receptionist, and legal assistant at a law firm, and she loved it. After college, Ashley went to law school in Missoula, simultaneously working as an intern in a law office and as a teaching assistant at the university. After law school, Ashley clerked for District Court Judge Richard Cebull in Billings. At the same time, she and Tim got married. Military service runs strong around Ashley - her husband Tim served in the Air Force and was deployed in Qatar and Afghanistan. Because of this, she was essentially a single mom from 2010-2011. While clearly no stranger to hard work, Ashley found working full-time while raising children on her own to be a definite challenge.
When Tim retired from the military, Ashley opened her own private law practice and began to get involved in the Billings community. She serves on the Catholic School Board and the Salvation Army Advisory Board, having also chaired the latter. Even before becoming a District Court Judge, Ashley was a leader in her profession, serving as President of the Yellowstone Area Bar Association, as a panel member State Bar of Montana Fee Arbitration Committee, and assisting with the State Bar of Montana Modest Means Program. Ashley, Tim, and their two children, Nolan and Bellamy, also volunteer two to three times a month serving meals to the food insecure in Billings.
Several things inspired Ashley to become a judge. She felt strongly called to set a good example of being a judge who works for and actually earns their salary. "As an elected official, I serve at the will of the people. Hard working taxpayers pay my salary and they deserve hard working judges who devote extra hours and energy when necessary. I am not a stranger to hard work and I will continue to serve tirelessly."
Having had her own legal career, Ashley has good reason to appreciate working judges. Litigation is an infamously time-consuming affair for all parties involved. Harada says, "I value the time of litigants and attorneys and I strive to run a punctual and efficient court. I often hear from attorneys and litigants how much they appreciate my timeliness." For one example, Harada opted to run a DN Pilot Court, which features expedited hearings in cases where children are removed from their parents. The pilot program ensures among other things, that children are allowed safe visits with their parents, and the Montana legislature has proposed making the program permanent.
Perhaps most importantly, Ashley is motivated by public safety. A swift, fair, and equitable justice system is essential to curbing crime and keeping our community secure. She says, "I have serious concerns about the safety of this community and the impact on the vulnerable and law abiding citizens. We have seen a significant spike in violent crime as of late. I have a duty to consider this when imposing appropriate sentences and sanctions and I take this very seriously."
In their spare time, Tim and Ashley golf, fish, and camp. Ashley likes college football and is, of course, a Griz fan. Their favorite local business is Juliano's, though Craft Local is a close second. As you can see from their photos, the Haradas also enjoy travel. Along with roughly half of the other people I know in Billings, they went to Mexico this spring for siestas, sunshine, and margaritas. Keep your eyes peeled for some vacation destinations and travel tips in upcoming issues. In the meantime, join us in the Women's Issue's celebration of Ashley Harada's service and accomplishments in the legal profession.
