Idaho Supreme Court
The Idaho Supreme Court is the state supreme court of Idaho and is composed of the chief justice and four associate justices.
| Idaho Supreme Court | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Established | 1863 - Territorial 1890 - State |
| Location | 451 W. State St. Boise, Idaho, U.S. |
| Composition method | non-partisan state-wide staggered elections |
| Authorized by | Idaho State Constitution |
| Judge term length | 6 years 4 years (Chief Justice) |
| Number of positions | 5 |
| Website | Official website |
| Chief Justice | |
| Currently | G. Richard Bevan |
| Since | January 1, 2021 |
The decisions of the Idaho Supreme Court are binding on all other Idaho state courts. The only court that may reverse or modify its decisions is the Supreme Court of the United States.
Justices
Justices are elected in non-partisan statewide elections and serve staggered six-year terms. Elections are held in the state primary, now in the spring, with run-off elections in November. The Chief Justice is selected by an election among the five justices and term length for that office is four years.[1] Prior to 1983, the position went to the justice with the least amount of time remaining in his term.[2]
The court originally had three justices; it was expanded to five in 1921.
Current justices
| Justice | Age | Born | Joined | Chief Justice | Term ends | Appointed by | Law school |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G. Richard Bevan | 64 | May 5, 1959 | September 27, 2017 | 2021–present | 2024 | Butch Otter (R) | BYU |
| Robyn Brody | 53 | February 13, 1970 | January 2, 2017 | – | 2028 | — [lower-alpha 1] | Denver |
| John Stegner | 69 | November 8, 1953 | May 22, 2018 | – | 2026 | Butch Otter (R) | Idaho |
| Gregory W. Moeller | 60 | May 1, 1963 | January 3, 2019 | – | 2026 | Butch Otter (R) | BYU |
| Colleen Zahn | 50 | October 7, 1973 | July 1, 2021 | – | 2028 | Brad Little (R) | Idaho |
- Took office after being elected in a nonpartisan election.
Vacancies and pending nominations
| Seat last held by | Vacancy reason | Date of vacancy | Nominee | Date of nomination |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Stegner | Retirement | October 31, 2023[3][4] | – | – |
Women on the Supreme Court
The first female justice on the Idaho Supreme Court was Linda Copple Trout, appointed in 1992 by Governor Cecil Andrus and elected in 1996 and 2002. She remains as the state's only female chief justice (1997–2004). The second female justice was Cathy Silak, appointed by Andrus in 1993 and elected in 1994. She lost her reelection bid in 2000 to Dan Eismann and became the first incumbent justice from the court to be defeated since 1944.[5][6]
After Trout's retirement in 2007, no women were on the court until the election of Robyn Brody in 2016 to a vacant seat, the first by a female; she is the only justice on the current court not first appointed. Colleen Zahn joined the court in 2021, appointed by Governor Brad Little; Brody and Zahn ran unopposed in 2022.
List of chief justices
| Name | Years |
|---|---|
| G. Richard Bevin | 2021–present |
| Roger Burdick (2) | 2017–2020 |
| Jim Jones | 2015–2017 |
| Roger Burdick | 2011–2015 |
| Dan Eismann | 2007–2011 |
| Gerald Schroeder | 2004–2007 |
| Linda Copple Trout | 1997–2004 |
| Charles McDevitt | 1993–1997 |
| Robert Bakes | 1989–1993 |
| Allan Shepard | 1987–1989 |
| Charles Donaldson | 1983–1987 |
- Election by peers began in 1983.[2]
Video coverage
The Idaho Supreme Court first permitted live video and audio coverage from its chambers in late 1978.[7]
See also
References
- Russell, Betsy Z. (July 15, 2015). "Justice Jim Jones to be Idaho Supreme Court's next chief justice, as of Aug. 1". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Retrieved August 17, 2015.
- "Donaldson is first elective chief justice". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Associated Press. January 4, 1983. p. 4D.
- "Idaho Supreme Court Justice John Stegner to Retire" (PDF). State of Idaho Judicial Branch. May 2, 2023. Retrieved May 10, 2023.
- "Letter to Governor" (PDF). May 1, 2023. Retrieved May 10, 2023.
- "Otter emerges from GOP crowd in Idaho primary". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. May 24, 2000. p. B5.
- "Statewide judicial vote by county". State of Idaho. Secretary of State, Election Division. May 23, 2000. Retrieved August 17, 2015.
- "Idaho Supreme Court will open its doors to cameras". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. November 30, 1978. p. 14A.
External links
- Idaho State Judiciary
- Boise Architecture.org - Idaho Supreme Court building