Justice Robyn Brody to become chief justice of Idaho Supreme Court 

Brody, who was first elected to the Idaho Supreme Court in 2016, succeeds Chief Justice G. Richard Bevan, who is retiring Oct. 30.

The Idaho Supreme Court is the highest court in the state, and Brody is set to become the second woman to serve as chief justice in Idaho, Idaho Judicial Branch officials said. Retired Justice Linda Copple Trout became the first woman to serve as chief justice of the Idaho Supreme Court in 1997.

Brody currently serves as vice chief of the Idaho Supreme Court. 

“Idaho is a special place; the dedication and professionalism of our independent courts have helped make it so,” Brody said in a statement issued Thursday. “I am honored to serve our state in this way, and I am grateful for the trust of my fellow justices.”

Brody has been a lawyer in Idaho for almost 30 years, and she started her own law firm in Rupert in 2010 prior to being elected to the Idaho Supreme Court. Brody has also been an adjunct law professor at the University of Idaho’s College of Law. 

Brody is chair of Idaho’s Pro Bono Commission and the Idaho Supreme Court’s Language Access Committee. She is also a board member of the Idaho Law Foundation, which oversees the Idaho Volunteer Lawyers Program and civic education programs, such as mock trials. 

Under the Idaho Constitution, the chief justice of the Idaho Supreme Court is selected via a majority vote of the Idaho Supreme Court. 

The chief justice is responsible for leading the court, judicial officials said. The Idaho Supreme Court’s chief justice is also the executive head of the state’s court system and works with other justices to manage that system. 

The chief justice also traditionally addresses the Idaho Legislature each year. 

Bevan has served as chief justice of the Idaho Supreme Court since 2021. On Thursday, he issued a statement expressing support for Brody.

“Justice Brody has long worked to ensure that in a changing world, our courts remain accessible to all,” Bevan said. “Our Judicial Branch is in excellent hands.”

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