Judges appointed by Butch Otter
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This page lists judges appointed by Butch Otter (R) during his term as Governor of Idaho. As of today, the total number of Otter appointees was 39. For the full profile of Otter, click here.
Ballotpedia provides comprehensive coverage of the 100 largest cities in America by population. Some Idaho judges are outside of that coverage scope. As a result, this page does not provide an exhaustive list of all judges appointed by Gov. Otter.
Appointment process
In Idaho, the governor makes a judicial appointment. The nominee holds office for the remainder of the unexpired term.[1]
Appointed judges
The tables below list the governor's appointees to the courts across the state.
State Courts
Supreme Court
| Name | Court | Active |
|---|---|---|
|
Idaho Supreme Court |
2018 - October 31, 2023 |
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|
Idaho Supreme Court |
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|
Idaho Supreme Court |
2017 - Present |
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|
Idaho Supreme Court |
2019 - Present |
|
|
Idaho Supreme Court |
2007 - December 31, 2018 |
Court of Appeals
| Name | Court | Active |
|---|---|---|
|
Idaho Court of Appeals |
2019 - May 18, 2023 |
|
|
Idaho Court of Appeals |
2017 - Present |
|
|
Idaho Court of Appeals |
January 1, 2009 - Present |
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|
Idaho Court of Appeals |
||
|
Idaho Court of Appeals |
July 2, 2015 - Present |
Local Courts
| Name | Court | Active |
|---|---|---|
|
Idaho 1st Judicial District |
||
|
Idaho 1st Judicial District |
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|
Idaho 1st Judicial District |
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|
Idaho 2nd Judicial District |
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|
Idaho 2nd Judicial District |
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|
Idaho 3rd Judicial District |
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|
Idaho 3rd Judicial District |
2013 - December 28, 2021 |
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|
Idaho 3rd Judicial District |
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|
Idaho 3rd Judicial District |
2018 - Present |
|
|
Idaho 3rd Judicial District |
2009 - 2021 |
|
|
Idaho 3rd Judicial District |
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|
Idaho 3rd Judicial District |
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|
Idaho 4th Judicial District |
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|
Idaho 4th Judicial District |
2014 - Present |
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Idaho 4th Judicial District |
2013 - Present |
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|
Idaho 4th Judicial District |
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|
Idaho 4th Judicial District |
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|
Idaho 4th Judicial District |
2015 - Present |
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Idaho 4th Judicial District |
2011 - Present |
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|
Idaho 5th Judicial District |
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|
Idaho 5th Judicial District |
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|
Idaho 5th Judicial District |
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|
Idaho 5th Judicial District |
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|
Idaho 5th Judicial District |
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|
Idaho 6th Judicial District |
2007 - 2017 |
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|
Idaho 6th Judicial District |
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|
Idaho 7th Judicial District |
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|
Idaho 7th Judicial District |
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|
Idaho 7th Judicial District |
2009 - 2018 |
Judicial selection process
- See also: Judicial selection in Idaho
| Judicial selection in Idaho | |
 | |
| Idaho Supreme Court | |
| Method: | Nonpartisan election |
| Term: | 6 years |
| Idaho Court of Appeals | |
| Method: | Nonpartisan election |
| Term: | 6 years |
| Idaho District Courts | |
| Method: | Nonpartisan election |
| Term: | 4 years |
| Idaho Magistrate Division | |
| Method: | Commission selection |
| Term: | 4 years |
Judicial selection refers to the process used to select judges for courts. At the state level, methods of judicial selection vary substantially in the United States, and in some cases between different court types within a state. There are six primary types of judicial selection: partisan and nonpartisan elections, the Michigan method, assisted appointment, gubernatorial appointment, and legislative elections. To read more about how these selection methods are used across the country, click here.
This article covers how state court judges are selected in Idaho, including:
As of April 2025, the selection of state court judges in Idaho occurred primarily through nonpartisan elections. All judges (except magistrates, who are appointed to the bench by a magistrate commission) participate in elections wherein they cannot be nominated or endorsed by any political party.[2][3] Judges' terms begin on the first Monday in January following their election.[4]
Click here to notify us of changes to judicial selection methods in this state.
| Appellate state court selection in the United States, by general selection method[5] |
|---|
|
|
| State courts and their selection methods across the U.S., including the District of Columbia[5] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Supreme Court (of 53)[6] | Courts of Appeal (of 46) | Trial Courts (of 147) |
| Partisan elections (PE) | 8 | 6 | 39 |
| Nonpartisan elections (NPE) | 13 | 16 | 34 |
| Legislative elections (LE) | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| Gubernatorial appointment of judges (GA) | 5 | 3 | 6 |
| Assisted appointment (AA) | 22 | 18 | 46 |
| Combination or other | 3[7] | 1[8] | 17[9] |
State profile
| Demographic data for Idaho | ||
|---|---|---|
| Idaho | U.S. | |
| Total population: | 1,652,828 | 316,515,021 |
| Land area (sq mi): | 82,643 | 3,531,905 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White: | 91.7% | 73.6% |
| Black/African American: | 0.6% | 12.6% |
| Asian: | 1.3% | 5.1% |
| Native American: | 1.3% | 0.8% |
| Pacific Islander: | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| Two or more: | 2.6% | 3% |
| Hispanic/Latino: | 11.8% | 17.1% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate: | 89.5% | 86.7% |
| College graduation rate: | 25.9% | 29.8% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income: | $47,583 | $53,889 |
| Persons below poverty level: | 16.9% | 11.3% |
| Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Idaho. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. | ||
Presidential voting pattern
- See also: Presidential voting trends in Idaho
Idaho voted Republican in all seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.
More Idaho coverage on Ballotpedia
- Elections in Idaho
- United States congressional delegations from Idaho
- Public policy in Idaho
- Endorsers in Idaho
- Idaho fact checks
- More...
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Idaho," archived October 2, 2014
- ↑ American Judicature Society, "Judicial Selection in the States: Idaho; Overview," accessed September 14, 2021
- ↑ American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Idaho," accessed September 14, 2021
- ↑ Idaho 4th Judicial District Court, "District Court," accessed September 14, 2021
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection," archived February 2, 2015
- ↑ Both Oklahoma and Texas have two state supreme courts: one for civil matters and one for criminal matters.
- ↑ Michigan and Ohio use nonpartisan general elections with candidates selected through partisan primaries or conventions. In the District of Columbia, judges are selected in the same manner as federal judges.
- ↑ Judges of the North Dakota Court of Appeals are appointed on an as-needed basis by the supreme court justices.
- ↑ Most courts that use combination/alternative methods (for example, mayoral appointment) are local level courts. These courts are often governed by selection guidelines that are unique to their specific region.
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
