Kootenai County to request new judge

COEUR d’ALENE — Kootenai County will request an additional district court judge for fiscal year 2025.

Commissioners voted 2-1 on Tuesday to support a request letter that will go to the Idaho Supreme Court in November. Bill Brooks cast the dissenting vote, noting that he would like to see more data about caseloads for judges.

Kootenai County currently has 13 district court judges.

To help with a packed district court calendar, a judge from Shoshone County spends about two weeks a month in Coeur d’Alene, presiding over criminal cases. Another visiting judge from Benewah County presides over some civil cases.

“They were beginning to get entirely too overwhelmed and very busy,” said trial court administrator Karlene Behringer.

The new, full-time judge would handle both criminal and civil cases and would be chambered at the Juvenile Justice Building on Fourth Street.

Though a deputy clerk who works for the two visiting judges would remain and the state would secure a court reporter, the county would be responsible for hiring a staff attorney.

The attorney’s salary could cost the county more than $50,000 per year, Behringer said, depending on experience.

Commissioner Leslie Duncan emphasized that the Idaho Supreme Court is not obligated to grant Kootenai County’s request for a new judge.

“I just know, talking with Shoshone and Bonner, that their cases are increasing, so they need those judges back in their own counties,” she said.

This story has been updated to reflect the correct number of current Kootenai County judges.