Born in Santa Fe, New Mexico, to A. K. Montgomery and Ruth Montgomery, his father was a prominent local politician and attorney, being a partner in a large Santa Fe law firm.
[2] Montgomery graduated Santa Fe High School in 1955 and received a B.A.
[2][3] He served in the United States Navy from 1959 to 1962, before attending Stanford Law School, receiving a J.D.
[2][3] He then joined his father's law firm, eventually becoming CEO and chair of the practice.
[2] On August 4, 1989, Governor Garrey Carruthers appointed Montgomery to the New Mexico Supreme Court.