Idaho Supreme Court justice vacancy (June 2021)
| Idaho Supreme Court |
|---|
 |
| Burdick vacancy |
| Date: June 30, 2021 |
| Status: Seat filled |
| Nomination |
| Nominee: Colleen Zahn |
| Date: June 1, 2021 |
Idaho Governor Brad Little (R) appointed Colleen Zahn to the Idaho Supreme Court on June 1, 2021. Zahn succeeded Roger Burdick, who retired on June 30, 2021. Zahn was Gov. Little's first nominee to the five-member supreme court.[1][2]
At the time of the vacancy, an interim judge was appointed by the governor from a list of two to four names provided by a nominating commission in the event of a midterm vacancy, under Idaho law. The judge would serve out the remainder of the unexpired term, after which they would have to run in a nonpartisan election to remain on the court.[3]
Ballotpedia has compiled the following resources on the process to fill the Idaho Supreme Court vacancy:
- An overview of the appointee.
- A list of finalists recommended to the governor.
- A list of candidates who applied to the vacancy.
- An overview of the selection process.
- An overview of the court following the vacancy.
- An overview of the justice who left office.
- A list of other state supreme court appointments in 2021.
The appointee
- See also: Colleen Zahn
Colleen Zahn has served as a deputy attorney general and as a chief of the Criminal Law Division for the attorney general’s office in Idaho, and as an attorney in Boise, Idaho.[2]
Zahn graduated from the University of Idaho law school.[2]
Appointee candidates and nominations
Ballotpedia will post information on candidates and prospective appointees as information becomes available. If you know of information that should be included here, please email us.
Finalists
The Idaho Judicial Council recommended three finalists to Gov. Little.[4]
- Idaho Court of Appeals Judge Jessica Lorello
- Idaho Fourth Judicial District Magistrate Judge Diane M. Walker
- Idaho deputy attorney general Colleen Zahn
Applicants
The Idaho Judicial Council interviewed nine applicants for the state supreme court position.[5]
- Lawyer Kimmer Callahan
- U.S. Attorney for the District of Idaho Bart Davis
- Idaho deputy attorney general Leslie Hayes
- Lawyer Nathan Long
- Idaho Court of Appeals Judge Jessica Lorello
- Idaho Fourth Judicial District Magistrate Judge Diane M. Walker
- Lawyer Timothy Walton
- Idaho Third Judicial District Judge Thomas Whitney
- Idaho deputy attorney general Colleen Zahn
The selection process
- See also: Judicial selection in Idaho
At the time of the vacancy, justices were selected using the method of nonpartisan election of judges and served renewable six-year terms. Mid-term vacancies were filled using the assisted appointment method of judicial selection. With this method, the Idaho Judicial Council selected a number of qualified candidates and their names were forwarded to the Idaho governor. The governor then appointed one of the candidates to fill the remaining term. The chief justice on the court was selected by a majority of the members of the court and appointed by the governor. The chief justice would serve a four-year term and was responsible for the administration of the court.[6]
Makeup of the court
- See also: Idaho Supreme Court
Justices
Following Burdick's retirement, the Idaho Supreme Court included the following members:
| ■ G. Richard Bevan | Appointed by Gov. Butch Otter (R) in 2017 | |
| ■ Gregory W. Moeller | Appointed by Gov. Butch Otter (R) in 2018 | |
| ■ Robyn Brody | Elected in 2016 | |
| ■ John R. Stegner | Appointed by Gov. Butch Otter (R) in 2018 |
About the court
Founded in 1890, the Idaho Supreme Court is the state's court of last resort and has five judgeships. The current chief of the court is G. Richard Bevan.
As of January 2023, four judges on the court were appointed by a Republican governor and one judge was initially selected in an election.
The court meets in the Supreme Court Building in Boise, Idaho.[7]
In Idaho, state supreme court justices are elected in nonpartisan elections. There are 13 states that use this selection method. To read more about the nonpartisan election of judges, click here.
About Vice Chief Justice Burdick
- See also: Roger Burdick
Vice Chief Justice Burdick joined the Idaho Supreme Court in 2003. He was appointed to the court by Governor Dirk Kempthorne (R).
Before serving on the state supreme court, Burdick served as a judge with the Idaho 5th Judicial District from 2001 to 2003, with the Twin Falls County District from 1993 to 2001, and as a magistrate judge in Jerome County from 1980 to 1981. He worked as a deputy prosecuting attorney in Ada County from 1974 to 1996, as a prosecuting attorney in Jerome County from 1980 to 1981, as a public defender from 1976 to 1980, as a private practice attorney from 1974 to 1976, and as a bank examiner from 1970 to 1971.[8]
Burdick received his undergraduate degree in finance from the University of Colorado in 1970 and his J.D. from the University of Idaho School of Law in 1974.[8]
Other state supreme court appointments in 2021
- See also: State supreme court vacancies, 2021
The following table lists vacancies on state supreme courts that opened in 2021. Click the link under the Court column for a particular vacancy for more information on that vacancy.
Click here for vacancies that opened in 2020.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Idaho News 6, "Idaho Supreme Court justice Roger Burdick announces resignation," February 7, 2021
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Idaho, Office of the Governor, "Gov. Little appoints Colleen Zahn to Idaho Supreme Court," June 1, 2021
- ↑ American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Idaho," archived October 2, 2014
- ↑ The Idaho Press, "Three finalists named for upcoming Idaho Supreme Court opening," April 28, 2021
- ↑ Idaho Press, "Nine apply for Idaho Supreme Court opening, including former US attorney, 3 sitting judges...," March 5, 2021
- ↑ Idaho Supreme Court, "About us," accessed May 1, 2014
- ↑ State of Idaho Judicial Branch, "History & Procedures of the Idaho Supreme Court," accessed September 14, 2021
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 State of Idaho Judicial Branch, "Hon. Justice Roger S. Burdick," accessed May 17, 2016
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Federal courts:
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: District of Idaho • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: District of Idaho
State courts:
Idaho Supreme Court • Idaho Court of Appeals • Idaho District Courts • Idaho Magistrate Division
State resources:
Courts in Idaho • Idaho judicial elections • Judicial selection in Idaho
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