Committee advances bills to add district judges in Kootenai and Bonneville counties amid growth and travel concerns

The Senate Judiciary and Rules Committee voted to advance two bills that would add district judge positions in Idaho's First and Seventh judicial districts.

Jason Spellman, legal counsel at the Administrative Office of the Courts for the Idaho Supreme Court, told the committee Senate Bill 1028 would create a district judge in the First Judicial District to be chambered in Kootenai County. Spellman said the First District currently has seven district judges assigned across five counties and that the district is seeing high filings per judge and population growth; a July 2023 population estimate for Kootenai County was provided as 185,000 residents. He also said judges from neighboring counties regularly travel to Kootenai to cover dockets and that the county has provided letters of support and is preparing a facility that can house an additional judge.

Spellman also presented Senate Bill 1029, which would create a new district judge in the Seventh Judicial District to be chambered in Bonneville County. He said the Seventh District currently has six district judges covering 10 counties, noted the district's large geographic area and travel time between courthouses (an estimate in testimony placed judges' "windshield time" at more than 51 days per year), and said Bonneville is the medical hub of eastern Idaho and handles complex medical-malpractice litigation. Both bills were described as statutory additions (district judge positions are established in statute; magistrate positions are created via appropriation).

Committee members asked how the court prioritizes requests for judge positions across the state. Spellman described a year-long internal process by which trial court administrators present priorities and the court attempts to rotate requests to address needs where they are greatest. He also noted that adding a judge requires county resources to house and support the position; letters from Kootenai and Bonneville county commissioners were provided in support.

Senator Recti moved to send SB 1028 to the floor with a due-pass recommendation; Senator Lent seconded and the committee approved the motion by voice vote. Senator Lent moved to send SB 1029 to the floor with a due-pass recommendation; Senator Wintrow seconded. The committee approved SB 1029 by voice vote; Senator Lenny said on the record he would vote no on SB 1029 because of concerns about continued growth in government spending.