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Committee approves printing of two RS requests to add district judges for Kootenai and Bonneville counties
Summary
The Idaho Senate Judiciary and Rules Committee voted to send two legislative service requests to print that would add district judge positions in Kootenai County (First Judicial District) and Bonneville County (Seventh Judicial District).
The Idaho Senate Judiciary and Rules Committee voted to send two requests to print that would add district judge positions: RS 31981, proposing a new judgeship chambered in Kootenai County (First Judicial District), and RS 31982, proposing a new judgeship to be chambered in Bonneville County (Seventh Judicial District).
Jason Spellman, legal counsel for the Administrative Office of the Courts at the Idaho Supreme Court, presented both requests. He said the number of district judge positions is set in Title I, Chapter 8 of Idaho Code and that adding judges requires amending that statute. Spellman said sustained caseload pressures and population growth are driving the requests. ‘‘With regard to the position in Kootenai County … the combination of those two things has really resulted in an inefficient and unsustainable system whereby we have two district judges from outside of Kootenai County traveling into Kootenai County for a week or more each month to help keep cases moving there,’’ Spellman said. He said the First Judicial District (Boundary, Bonner, Kootenai, Shoshone and Benewah counties) currently has seven district judge positions.
For the Seventh Judicial District, Spellman said the district spans 10 counties (the largest judicial district geographically in the state) and currently has six district judge positions. He said the district’s geographic size leads to significant "windshield time"—judges spending substantial time traveling between courthouses—reducing time available for hearings, research and rulings. He asked the committee to print the RSs so they can be considered at a merits hearing.
Senators moved to send each RS to print. Senator Wintrow moved to send RS 31981 to print, seconded by Senator Ricks; the motion carried by voice vote. Senator Ricks moved to send RS 31982 to print, seconded by Senator Wintrow; that motion also carried by voice vote. No roll-call tallies were recorded in the transcript.
The requests begin the legislative process so the court and interested parties can present a fuller record at a merits hearing; any statutory changes to add judges would require subsequent committee and floor action and amendment of Title I, Chapter 8 of Idaho Code.
