Montana Supreme Court

State v. J. McKnight

December 16, 20252025 MT 288

Summary

The Court affirmed McKnight’s conviction, holding that his voluntary absence after trial began waived his right to be present and eliminated the need for a separate due-diligence inquiry before the verdict. The Court also held that McKnight’s ineffective-assistance claim, based on counsel’s failure to seek suppression, depended on matters outside the appellate record and therefore could not be reviewed on direct appeal.