Kathryn Van Horn (Seaton) brings nearly a decade of experience serving clients in tribal courts and communities across Montana. She is licensed in all seven tribal courts in the state and has drafted more than 200 AIPRA-compliant Indian Wills. Her work has included probate litigation, family law, quiet title actions, repossessions, and complex federal Indian law matters, including issues that have reached the United States Supreme Court.

Kathryn currently serves as Chief Justice of the Fort Belknap Court of Appeals. In addition to her judicial service, she provides outside general counsel services to tribal agencies and nonprofit organizations, offering practical, solutions-oriented guidance on governance, compliance, policy development, and risk management.

Alongside her tribal practice, Kathryn works closely with individuals and families across Montana on estate planning, including wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and advance healthcare directives. She believes estate planning is about empowering families to be prepared to navigate life’s hardest moments with clarity and care. Whether preparing a simple will or building a comprehensive estate plan, she approaches each client with patience, compassion, and expertise.

Originally from Missouri, Kathryn moved to Montana in 2012 to serve as an AmeriCorps member with the state’s Justice for Montanans program at the Great Falls Self Help Law Center. Outside the office, she enjoys spending time outdoors with her family, watching basketball, and honing her sewing skills.

Bar Admissions:

Montana, Blackfeet Tribal Court, Chippewa Cree Tribal Court, Crow Tribal Court, CSKT Tribal Court, Fort Belknap Tribal Court, Fort Peck Tribal Court, Northern Cheyenne Tribal Court

Education:

2016 - J.D., University of Iowa College of Law

2012 - B.A., Truman State University, Sociology

Awards & Honors:

Graduated Order of the Coif, University of Iowa College of Law, 2016

Frank I. Haswell Award (Best Contribution to the Montana Lawyer), 2022

Publications:

Kathryn Seaton, Taking a Closer Look at Just Compensation, State Regulation of Groundwater Withdrawals as an Appropriate Use of their Police Powers, 41 J. Corp. L. 1010 (2016).

Kathryn Seaton, Tribal Courts Fill Access to Justice Needs, Offer Practice Opportunity for Lawyers, Mont. Law., May 2021, at 9.

Kathryn Seaton, Tribal Sovereign Immunity: What is it, and What are its Limitations?, Mont. Law., June 2021, at 14.

Kathryn Seaton, Fort Belknap Chief Prosecutor Discusses Tribal Criminal Jurisdiction’s Complex Nature, Mont. Law, December 2021, at 11.

 Notable Cases:

 Big Horn County Elec. Coop., Inc. v. Big Man, 526 F.Supp.3d 756 (D.Mont. 2021), aff’d 2022 WL 738623 (9th Cir. 2022), cert. denied 143 S.Ct. 525, 2022 WL 17573474 (2022)