COEUR d’ALENE, Idaho — The 15-member First Judicial District Magistrate Commission will meet on May 16 to consider applicants to replace Magistrate Judge John Cafferty and Magistrate Judge Anna Eckhart. Cafferty was appointed to a district judgeship by Governor Brad Little on February 19 and Eckhart is retiring on June 16.
According to Kootenai County’s public announcement, the following 12 attorneys are being considered to replace the two magistrate judges:
- NATHAN ADAMS — Deputy Prosecutor in Kootenai County
- CASEY DREWS — Deputy Prosecutor in Kootenai County
- CATHERINE ENRIGHT — Managing Attorney for the State Public Defender
- ANDRA HICKEY — Attorney at Hickey Law Firm
- MELISSA KILMER — Visiting Assistant Professor at Gonzaga University School of Law NICHOLAS LEPIRE — Deputy Prosecutor in Kootenai County
- EILEEN MCGOVERN — Prosecutor for the City of Post Falls
- KATHERINE MURDOCK — Deputy Prosecutor in Kootenai County
- MATTHEW RAKES — Attorney and Mediator at Rakes Mediation & Family Law
- KURT SCHWAB — Attorney at Rathdrum and Post Falls Estate Planning
- DONALD TERRY — Trial Attorney in Bonner County
- CHELSEY TORGERSON — Deputy Prosecutor in Kootenai County
April 18 was the deadline for members of the public to fill out a Public Questionnaire to aid the Magistrate Commission in assessing the applicants “integrity and moral courage, legal ability, legal experience, intelligence and wisdom, capacity to be fair-minded and deliberate, industriousness and promptness in performing duties, compatibility of personal habits and outside activities with judicial office, and capacity to be courteous and considerate on the bench.”
When asked about the selection process, the county clerk’s office told Kootenai Journal that the Magistrate Commission does not have any subcommittees and all members who are able to be present at the interview participate in the review of candidates.
The process consists of two meetings to appoint a magistrate: the first meeting is to review the candidates and choose which ones to interview and the second meeting is for the interviews. After the candidates have been interviewed, there is discussion and then voting to determine the appointee.
The second meeting is open to the public during the interview portion—it is unclear at this time when and where this interview meeting will be held.
The First Judicial District Magistrate Commission is comprised of the following officials:
- Chairman
- Hon. Barry McHugh, Administrative District Judge, Kootenai County
- Magistrate Judge (Appointed by Administrative District Judge)
- Hon. Judge Combo, Magistrate Judge, Kootenai Judge
- County Commissioners (Elected Position)
- Philip Lampert. Benewah County Commissioner
- Asia Williams, Bonner County Commissioner
- Tim Bertling, Boundary County Commissioner
- Bruce Mattare, Kootenai County Commissioner
- David Dose, Shoshone County Commissioner
- Mayors (Appointed by governor)
- Ronald G. Jacobson — “A” position, Mayor of Post Falls, Kootenai County
- Vacant — “B” position
- Nancy Lewis — “C” position, Mayor of Kootenai, Bonner County
- Electors (Appointed by governor)
- Juli Smith — “A” position, Kootenai County
- Michael Boeck — “B” position, Bonner County
- Attorneys (Appointed by Idaho State Bar)
- Mary Cusack — “A” position, Kootenai County
- Craig Zanetti — “B” position, Shoshone County
- Clerk (Appointed by Administrative District Judge)
- Michael Rosedale, Bonner County Clerk
The Magistrate Commission is tasked by statute to complete studies and/or recommendations for improvement, however, none have been completed in the First District for some time. The commission is also responsible for hiring the district public defender, per Idaho Code 19-6007.
