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Committee approves bill to add district judge in Kootenai County; county support cited
Summary
The Senate Judiciary and Rules Committee voted to send Senate Bill 1028 to the Senate floor with a due pass recommendation; the bill would add a district judge position to be chambered in Kootenai County (First Judicial District).
Jason Spellman, legal counsel for the Administrative Office of the Courts at the Idaho Supreme Court, presented Senate Bill 1028 to the Senate Judiciary and Rules Committee. The bill would add one district judge position statutorily set to be chambered in Kootenai County in the First Judicial District.
Spellman told the committee the state currently has 49 district judges and the First Judicial District now has seven district judges; Kootenai County has been the focus of workload pressures. He said a July 2023 population estimate for Kootenai County was about 185,000 residents and cited projections used by court administrators showing substantial growth in the county. He also said First District judges have among the highest filings per judge in the state and that judges from neighboring counties regularly travel to Kootenai to cover dockets, reducing available time for research and opinion-writing.
Spellman said Kootenai County commissioners provided a letter of support, acknowledging the need and the county's understanding that housing and supporting a new judge requires county resources. He also said a new courthouse facility will soon be available that can house the additional judge position.
Senator Recti moved to send the bill to the Senate floor with a due pass recommendation; Senator Lent seconded. The committee carried the motion by voice vote and the chair directed that SB 1028 be sent to the floor with a due pass.
No public testimony was recorded at this hearing. The Administrative Office framed the request as part of a statewide, multi-step process that rotates requests based on where needs are greatest.
