Latah Magistrate John Judge appointed to District Court bench

Formerly a magistrate, John Judge will take over the Latah County 2nd District court bench.

The district court position has been vacant since Judge John Stegner was appointed to the Idaho Supreme Court.

Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter announced Judge’s appointment Wednesday in a news release. Judge has a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of California, Santa Barbara and earned his law degree at University of Idaho’s College of Law.

The eponymous Judge was a partner at the firm Landeck, Westberg, Judge and Graham before he was appointed to the magistrate position in October 2008. A Moscow-Pullman Daily News article from the time reported that he was the top among five finalists for the magistrate position and had been in private practice for 24 years.

“I am deeply grateful to be entrusted with this responsibility to the law and to the people of Idaho,” Judge said in a news release issued Wednesday. “I pledge to work hard every day to deserve that trust and continue my public service as a district judge.”

Judge has worked in a number of other organizations while a magistrate, including as an adjunct member of the Judicial Council, Idaho State-Tribal Court Forum, the Idaho Supreme Court Guardianship/Conservatorship Committee, the Magistrate Standard Forms and Practices Committee and the Child Support Guidelines Committee.

Otter said in the release that Judge is an “outstanding choice” to helm the District Court seat.

“He is very well respected by his peers and the attorneys who have gone before him,” Otter said. “That speaks highly of his judicial skills and temperament.”

The vacant magistrate position will require an appointment by the 2nd District Magistrate Commission.

Stegner was tapped to sit at the state’s highest court in May and replaced retiring Justice Warren Jones. Stegner founded Latah County’s first drug court in 2002 and led the county’s mental health court in 2012.

Holm may be contacted at tholm@lmtribune.com or at (208) 848-2275. Follow him on Twitter @TomHolm4.