Idaho 7th Judicial District

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The Idaho Seventh Judicial District is a district court in Idaho serving Bingham, Bonneville, Butte, Clark, Custer, Fremont, Jefferson, Lemhi, Madison, and Teton counties.

Seventh District

Idaho District Court 7

District Court

Judges

• Bruce L. Pickett
• Darren B. Simpson
• Alan Stephens
• Joel E. Tingey
• Dane Hansen Watkins, Jr.

Magistrate Division

Bingham County Magistrates

• Scott H. Hansen

Butte County Magistrates

• Ralph L. Savage

Bonneville County Magistrates

• Steven A. Gardner
• Michelle Mallard

Clark County Magistrates

• Kent Gauchay

Custer County Magistrates

• James Howard Barrett

Fremont County Magistrates

• Gil Gardner

Lemhi County Magistrates

• Stephen Clark (Idaho)

Teton County Magistrates

• Jason Walker

Former judges and magistrates

• Ryan Boyer
• Robert Crowley
• Gregory W. Moeller
• Mark S. Rammell
• L. Mark Riddoch
• Jon Shindurling
• Penny Stanford

Elections

See also: Idaho judicial elections

Idaho is one of 43 states that hold elections for judicial positions. To learn more about judicial selection in Idaho, click here.

• Idaho local trial court judicial elections, 2026
• Idaho local trial court judicial elections, 2025
• Idaho local trial court judicial elections, 2024
• Idaho local trial court judicial elections, 2023
• Idaho local trial court judicial elections, 2022
• Idaho local trial court judicial elections, 2021
• Idaho local trial court judicial elections, 2020
• Idaho local trial court judicial elections, 2019
• Idaho local trial court judicial elections, 2018
• Idaho local trial court judicial elections, 2017
• Idaho local trial court judicial elections, 2016
• Idaho judicial elections, 2014
• Idaho judicial elections, 2012
• Idaho judicial elections, 2010

Selection method

See also: Nonpartisan election of judges

There are 40 judges on the Idaho District Courts, each elected in nonpartisan elections to four-year terms. Afterwards, they must seek re-election if they wish to retain their seat.

The court's chief judge is chosen by peer vote and serves in that capacity for three years.

Qualifications
To serve on this court, a judge must:

• be at least 30 years old;
• be a U.S. citizen;
• be an Idaho resident for at least two years;
• be a resident of the judicial district for at least one year; and
• have had 10 years practice of law.

Election rules

Primary election

District court races are decided during the state's primary election. However, if no candidate in a judicial race receives over 50 percent of the votes in the primary, the two candidates who received the greatest number of votes advance to the general election, which functions as a sort of judicial runoff election.

If a race advances to the general election, but one of the candidates leaves the race before that time, the candidate who received the next highest number of votes in the primary takes their spot on the general election ballot. In such a situation, if there is a tie for third place in the primary, the candidate to advance to the general election is chosen by lot by the secretary of state.

Retention election

Magistrates stand for retention in the general election, which is held in November. Judges file for retention in August. Specifically, they must file their declaration of candidacy no less than 90 days prior to the election.

The ballot includes the following language for such elections: "Shall Magistrate __ of __ County of the __ Judicial District be retained in office?" The voter may then choose to answer either "Yes" or "No". The magistrate must receive a majority of "yes" votes to be retained to a new term.

See also

• Courts in Idaho
• Idaho District Courts

External links

• Idaho Judicial Branch, "District Courts"

Footnotes

Idaho courts

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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