New magistrate chosen for Nez Perce County

A Latah County prosecutor has been chosen to fill a magistrate vacancy in Nez Perce County.

Michelle Evans, senior deputy prosecutor for Latah County, will move to Nez Perce County and start her new role by July 1 as a magistrate in Lewiston.

Evans was among six candidates to interview Tuesday for the job with the 2nd District Magistrate's Commission, a panel comprised of county and district officials including judges and county commissioners.

"I'm very honored and privileged to have been selected," Evans said. "I look forward to new challenges, and to serving the people of Nez Perce County."

After five hours of interviews, the panel deliberated for almost three hours before releasing its decision.

"It was an especially difficult decision," commission member and Latah County 2nd District Judge John R. Stegner said. "Out of the highest quality group, Michelle Evans rose to the top."

Evans, who grew up in Bonners Ferry, earned a psychology degree in 1989 from the University of Idaho with minors in sociology, social work and music. She earned her law degree in 1993 and worked for a year as a prosecuting attorney in Lewis County before moving to the Latah County Prosecutor's Office, where she has practiced for 19 years.

Evans replaces former Magistrate Jay P. Gaskill, who was appointed in February to succeed Carl B. Kerrick as District Court judge.

More than a dozen candidates applied for the magistrate position. As part of the process, six applicants were invited to be interviewed Tuesday at the Brammer Building. The pool of candidates included Mary

Gigray-Shanahan, Lewiston's assistant city attorney; Karin Seubert, a private practice attorney in Lewiston; Latah County Deputy Prosecutor Mia Vowels; Julie Kane, the managing attorney for the Nez Perce Tribe; and Vickie Olds, a private practice attorney from Grangeville.

---

Bartholdt can be contacted at rbartholdt@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2275.