<description>&lt;div draggable="false" data-pm-slice="1 1 []" data-en-clipboard= "true"&gt; &lt;div draggable="false" data-pm-slice="1 1 []" data-en-clipboard= "true"&gt;Tim Bechtold spent years fighting a a civil rights case involving a prisoner from the Montana State Prison System.&lt;/div&gt; &lt;div draggable="false" data-pm-slice="1 1 []" data-en-clipboard= "true"&gt; &lt;/div&gt; &lt;div draggable="false"&gt;In today's conversation, we look at the intricacies of the case, detailing the client's wrongful conviction, subsequent assault in a private prison, and the challenges faced due to procedural delays and missed deadlines.&lt;/div&gt; &lt;div draggable="false"&gt; &lt;/div&gt; &lt;div draggable="false"&gt;However, the perseverance of Tim and his team ultimately culminated in a favorable verdict and a reward of just over $27 million.&lt;/div&gt; &lt;div draggable="false"&gt; &lt;/div&gt; &lt;div draggable="false"&gt;Tim explains the importance of a focus group in shaping their trial strategy and reflects on the quick-paced nature of their trial, as well as the broader implications of justice and advocacy for marginalized communities.&lt;/div&gt; &lt;div draggable="false"&gt; &lt;/div&gt; &lt;div draggable="false"&gt;Tim Bechtold is a Montana-based trial lawyer known for his work in civil rights and environmental law.&lt;/div&gt; &lt;/div&gt; &lt;div draggable="false"&gt; &lt;/div&gt; &lt;div draggable="false"&gt; &lt;div draggable="false" data-pm-slice="1 3 []" data-en-clipboard= "true"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;In this episode, you will learn about:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/div&gt; &lt;ul&gt; &lt;li draggable="false"&gt; &lt;div draggable="false"&gt;How the case of Nate Lake highlights systemic issues in the justice system.&lt;/div&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li draggable="false"&gt; &lt;div draggable="false"&gt;How the verdict of over $27 million underscores the importance of accountability.&lt;/div&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li draggable="false"&gt; &lt;div draggable="false"&gt;Why justice for marginalized communities often requires persistence and dedication.&lt;/div&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li draggable="false"&gt; &lt;div draggable="false"&gt;The role of storytelling in trials that is crucial for juror engagement.&lt;/div&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;/div&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;You can also watch this episode on YouTube here: &lt;a href="https://youtu.be/GGiVGHCpZuY" target="_blank" rel= "noopener"&gt;Winning a $27 Million Verdict After YEARS of Fighting, with Tim Bechtold [Ep 151]&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt; &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Follow and Review:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on &lt;a href= "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/trial-lawyer-prep/id1591841380" target="_blank" rel="noopener"&gt;Apple Podcasts&lt;/a&gt;. Simply select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review" then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt; &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Supporting Resources:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Guest Tim Bechtold of Bechtold Law Firm, Montana.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;Contact Tim directly at tim@bechtoldlaw.net&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;a href= "https://www.krtv.com/news/crime-and-courts/jury-awards-27m-to-inmate-who-was-brutally-assaulted-in-shelby-prison" target="_blank" rel="noopener"&gt;$27.75 million dollar verdict (KRTV news)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;a href= "https://dailymontanan.com/2025/02/26/after-nearly-a-decade-of-fighting-northern-cheyenne-woman-vindicated-against-bia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"&gt;Northern Cheyenne v. BIA verdict (Daily Montanan)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;Tim's Environmental Work: &lt;a href= "https://www.npr.org/transcripts/nx-s1-5416766"&gt;https://www.npr.org/transcripts/nx-s1-5416766&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;2025 Leonard Weinglass in Defense of Civil Liberties Award - AAJ: &lt;a href= "https://www.justice.org/membership/awards"&gt;https://www.justice.org/membership/awards&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;2025 Montana Trial Lawyer of the Year Award: &lt;a href= "https://www.monttla.com/?pg=historical"&gt;https://www.monttla.com/?pg=historical&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt; &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Do you have an upcoming trial and want help writing your opening statement? &lt;a href= "https://calendly.com/elizabethlarrick/30min?back=1&amp;month=2025-07" target="_blank" rel="noopener"&gt;Book a free call with Elizabeth&lt;/a&gt; to see how she can help.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;Don't want to miss an episode? Join the Trial Lawyer Prep Newsletter for resources, tips and episodes by going here: &lt;a href="http://www.larricklawfirm.com/connect" target= "_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl= "https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.larricklawfirm.com/connect&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1753524720010000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0UhObi8lbNMfGytMcJY7yd"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;www.larricklawfirm.com/connect&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Trial Lawyer Prep

Elizabeth Larrick | Trial Consultant

Winning a $27 Million Verdict After YEARS of Fighting, with Tim Bechtold [Ep 151]

OCT 22, 202526 MIN
Trial Lawyer Prep

Winning a $27 Million Verdict After YEARS of Fighting, with Tim Bechtold [Ep 151]

OCT 22, 202526 MIN

Description

Tim Bechtold spent years fighting a a civil rights case involving a prisoner from the Montana State Prison System. In today's conversation, we look at the intricacies of the case, detailing the client's wrongful conviction, subsequent assault in a private prison, and the challenges faced due to procedural delays and missed deadlines. However, the perseverance of Tim and his team ultimately culminated in a favorable verdict and a reward of just over $27 million. Tim explains the importance of a focus group in shaping their trial strategy and reflects on the quick-paced nature of their trial, as well as the broader implications of justice and advocacy for marginalized communities. Tim Bechtold is a Montana-based trial lawyer known for his work in civil rights and environmental law. In this episode, you will learn about:
  • How the case of Nate Lake highlights systemic issues in the justice system.
  • How the verdict of over $27 million underscores the importance of accountability.
  • Why justice for marginalized communities often requires persistence and dedication.
  • The role of storytelling in trials that is crucial for juror engagement.

You can also watch this episode on YouTube here: Winning a $27 Million Verdict After YEARS of Fighting, with Tim Bechtold [Ep 151]

Follow and Review:

We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review" then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.

Supporting Resources:

Guest Tim Bechtold of Bechtold Law Firm, Montana.

Contact Tim directly at [email protected]

$27.75 million dollar verdict (KRTV news)

Northern Cheyenne v. BIA verdict (Daily Montanan)

Tim's Environmental Work: https://www.npr.org/transcripts/nx-s1-5416766

2025 Leonard Weinglass in Defense of Civil Liberties Award - AAJ: https://www.justice.org/membership/awards

2025 Montana Trial Lawyer of the Year Award: https://www.monttla.com/?pg=historical

Do you have an upcoming trial and want help writing your opening statement? Book a free call with Elizabeth to see how she can help.

Don't want to miss an episode? Join the Trial Lawyer Prep Newsletter for resources, tips and episodes by going here: www.larricklawfirm.com/connect