East Idaho Times

U.S. Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch, both representing Idaho, have reintroduced legislation aimed at creating an additional federal district judgeship in the state. The proposed bill, S. 54, seeks to address the judicial needs of Idaho, which currently stands as one of only three states with just two authorized judgeships. In comparison, larger districts such as California's Central District and New York's Southern District each have 28 authorized judgeships.

Senator Crapo emphasized the necessity for this change due to Idaho's increasing population and caseloads since the last district judge appointment nearly seventy years ago. "Idaho’s growing population demands a third district judge to ensure timely and effective access to justice," he stated. He further noted that insufficient judicial resources have placed Idaho's legal system at a disadvantage.

Senator Risch echoed these sentiments by highlighting the ongoing judicial emergency in Idaho: "Adding a third district judgeship in Idaho is commonsense and would help administer efficient and effective justice in our state." He stressed that as Idaho continues to grow, this legislative move is crucial for improving access to the judicial system.

Since 1954, when the second district judge was appointed, Idaho's population has surged past two million people as of December 2024. This growth has led to an exponential increase in court caseloads. The Judicial Conference of the U.S., since 2003, has consistently identified a judicial emergency in Idaho based on weighted caseload numbers per active judge and the absence of a third federal judgeship needed for balance.

The introduction of this legislation marks another attempt by Senators Crapo and Risch to address these long-standing issues within their state's legal framework.