Joel Krautter is a dedicated Montana trial lawyer who stands up for the rights of the injured, the disabled, and the accused. Joel is proud as an attorney to represent people and stand up for justice and the constitution, against the government, big corporations, banks, and insurance companies. Joel has tried over a half dozen jury trials to verdict and done multiple bench trials and other hearings. In addition to Joel’s trial practice, Joel also advises clients on estate planning, elder law and Medicaid planning. Joel represents clients across Montana, especially eastern Montana and also in North Dakota, with offices in both Billings and Sidney.

As an attorney, Joel Krautter has experience in many different areas of law but focuses his practice primarily in the areas of social security disability (SSDI & SSI) appeals from denials, personal injuries, especially auto crash injuries, and estate and Medicaid planning. Joel Krautter also practices law in the areas of constitutional rights, criminal law, corporate/LLC creation, probate, adoptions and guardianships, orders of protection, mineral rights and landlord-tenant law. In 2022, Joel was a part of the legal team that stood up for the legal principle of “one-person, one-vote” with a successful constitutional challenge of Montana’s Public Service Commission district maps, that saw federal judges redraw the districts in order to comply with the 14^th Amendment’s equal protection provision. Additionally, Joel has extensive knowledge of the Montana legislative process, having served a term in the Montana Legislature from 2019 to 2021. During legislative sessions, Joel can also provide clients with an overview of the legislative process, bill monitoring on issues of importance to clients and general consultation on policy and political issues in Montana, based on his 15 years of involvement in and around Montana politics.

After graduating from law school at the University of Montana, Joel Krautter began his legal career with the Netzer Law Office in 2014, in their Sidney office during the Bakken oil and gas boom. Joel is admitted to practice law in Montana and North Dakota state courts, as well as federal district court in Montana and the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Joel is a proud graduate of the Gerry Spence Method trial college at Thunderhead Ranch. During law school Joel Krautter interned with the Yellowstone County Attorney’s Office and U.S. Attorney’s Office in Missoula.

In addition to his legal practice, Joel is committed to public service. Joel served in the Montana House of Representatives in 2019-2020. In 2021, he was selected to be on the roster of the U.S. Department of State’s Fulbright Specialist Program and also graduated from the REAL Montana leadership development program. Joel served as a Trustee for the State Bar of Montana from 2021 to 2022. In 2022, Joel served on the executive committee of the Constitutional Convention Celebration Committee, which planned the 50th anniversary events of the 1972 Montana Constitutional Convention at the Montana Capitol in June of 2022. Joel is a board member and co-founder of the non-profit organization Friends of the Montana Constitution, serves as a board member for Friends of Montana PBS and is the past president of the Northeast Montana Bar Association. Joel was also proud to be appointed in 2021 to serve on Montana Governor Greg Gianforte’s citizen advisory committee, the Lower Yellowstone River Advisory Committee, tasked with identifying and recommending ways to improve public access, habitat conservation and management of the Lower Yellowstone River Corridor.

Joel Krautter is a member of the following legal organizations:

• National Organization of Social Security Claimants Representatives
• American Association for Justice, including their Republican Trial Lawyers Caucus
• Montana Trial Lawyers Association
• Northeast Montana Bar Association
• Yellowstone Area Bar Association
• Wealth Counsel
• State Bar of Montana
• State Bar Association of North Dakota

Joel Krautter grew up in Deer Lodge, Montana and now resides in Billings. In his free time Joel enjoys traveling and spending time in the outdoors with his golden retriever named Rusty.



If you’ve been injured by the negligence or actions of someone else, been denied on your social security disability claim, been accused of a crime, had your constitutional rights violated or need counsel on estate and Medicaid planning or another area of law Joel practices in, call Joel today at 406-433-5511 for a consultation.  Joel has handled everything from injuries suffered from a dog bite, automobile collisions to even suing an international bank on behalf of eastern Montana farmers and ranchers. Even if your legal issue is one Joel does not regularly practice in, Joel has an extensive network of other attorneys both in Montana and nationally that Joel can either make a referral to or set up a co-counsel arrangement with on a case, as needed to ensure a client gets the best representation possible.