Judge John Stegner of Moscow will be the next Idaho Supreme Court Justice.
Governor Butch Otter appointed his former campaign manager to the open seat vacated by retiring Justice Warren Jones.
"Judge Stegner’s record alone speaks volumes about his commitment to the law, his community and our state," Otter said in a statement. "He understands and has the professional acumen and civic virtue to address the underlying issues impacting Idaho’s courts."
Stegner has served as a district court judge in Moscow since 1997 after being appointed by then-Governor Phil Batt.
Before donning his robes, he worked at a private practice in Lewiston for 12 years, and occasionally for his family’s agricultural business on the Palouse.
"I am extremely honored to have been chosen by Governor Otter to fill the open seat on Idaho’s Supreme Court," the Grangeville native said in a press release. "I will do my utmost to live up to the responsibility placed on me."
Stegner also helped start the Latah County Drug Court in 2002 as a way to deal with people suffering from addiction issues. He’s also overseen the county’s mental health court since 2012.
He was a finalist last year for a spot on the state's highest court when Justice Daniel Eismann announced his retirement.
Stegner will be the only justice on the state Supreme Court from the northern part of Idaho.
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