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Idaho Senate approves two new district judges for Kootenai and Bonneville counties
Summary
The Senate passed Senate Bills 10-28 and 10-29 to add district judge positions for the First and Seventh Judicial Districts, citing population growth and high caseloads. SB10-28 passed 27-8; SB10-29 passed 28-7.
The Idaho Senate on Feb. 6 approved two bills creating additional district-judge positions to address growth and heavy caseloads in the First and Seventh Judicial Districts.
Senate Bill 10-28 creates an additional district judge position for the First Judicial District — which includes Benewah, Boundary, Shoshone, Bonner and Kootenai counties — and specifies that the new judge would be chambered in Kootenai County. Sponsor Sen. Lakey said the First District’s judges are seeing “the highest level of filings, per judge across the state” and that the seat responds to population growth in the region; Kootenai County was described on the floor as the third-fastest-growing county in the state. The bill passed the Senate, 27-8.
Senate Bill 10-29 creates an additional district judge for the Seventh Judicial District, which the sponsor listed as including Bingham, Butte, Custer, Jefferson, Madison, Bonneville, Clark, Fremont, Lemhi and Teton counties, and specifies the new judge would be housed in Bonneville County. The sponsor said the Seventh District has experienced a 22% population increase over 10 years and that judges there spend substantial time traveling between counties, limiting courtroom time. SB10-29 passed the Senate, 28-7.
Both measures were presented as responses to growth-driven workload pressures and the Legislature’s statutory process for creating judicial seats. No floor amendments were recorded. Each bill now proceeds to the House for further consideration.
Votes at a glance: Senate Bill 10-28 — passed Senate 27-8; Senate Bill 10-29 — passed Senate 28-7. Both bills will be transmitted to the House.
