Here to Serve

A Magistrate judge is a judicial officer of the District Court who handles all civil and criminal court cases filed in state court, except civil disputes over $10,000 in value, quiet title actions, declaratory judgments, and felony criminal cases after the preliminary hearing stage. Magistrate judges provide judicial services 24 hours a day, seven days a week. All Magistrate judges are lawyers chosen by a magistrate’s commission comprised of judges, elected officials, legislators, local attorneys, and citizens from the judicial district they serve. Once appointed, a Magistrate judge serves a four-year term followed by a non-partisan retention election every four years thereafter.

The Idaho judicial system is divided into seven judicial districts. There are currently 101 Magistrate judges serving Idaho, with at least one resident Magistrate judge in each of the 44 counties.

Learn more about your judicial district

Click one of the buttons below to see a list of Magistrate judges in each district and the courthouses in each county.

More About Magistrate Judges

About Magistrate Judges

The People’s Court

Lincoln County Court History

Being a Small-Town Judge