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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Three Judicial Candidates Guaranteed Shoo-Ins All The Positions Are Unopposed, And Write-Ins Are Not Allowed

Three people running in Tuesday’s primary election are guaranteed to win, and won’t appear on any general election ballot in the fall.

That’s because the primary is the final election for two Supreme Court justices and an appellate judge. All three are running unopposed, and write-ins are illegal.

“They usually don’t get a lot of opposition,” said Ben Ysursa, chief deputy secretary of state.

But it has happened. Two years ago, former Idaho Attorney General Wayne Kidwell ran against Supreme Court Justice Cathy Silak. He lost.

All three positions are non-partisan, and all three judges - Supreme Court justices Gerald F. Schroeder and Linda Copple Trout and Jesse R. Walters, chief judge of the state Court of Appeals - are running for six-year terms.

The Court of Appeals hears appeals from district courts, as assigned by the Supreme Court. While people can seek review of Appeals Court rulings, the Supreme Court doesn’t have to hear them.

The Court of Appeals has three judges who review cases as a panel. Based in Boise, they may hear arguments anywhere in the state. The other two judges are Karen Lansing and Darrel R. Perry.

The Supreme Court is Idaho’s court of last resort, hearing appeals from other courts, claims against the state, death penalty appeals and more. The other three justices are Chief Justice Charles McDevitt, Justice Byron Johnson and Silak.

The Supreme Court meets in Boise, Coeur d’Alene, Lewiston, Twin Falls, Pocatello and Idaho Falls.

Ysursa said the outcome of the three races this year was decided when the filing period for candidates closed without any challengers coming forward.

“They’re going off as prohibitive favorites, since there’s no opposition and no write-ins allowed.” , DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: AND THE WINNERS ARE … Supreme Court Justice Gerald F. Schroeder, who served as a district judge in Boise for 20 years before being appointed to the high court in 1995 by Gov. Phil Batt. Schroeder, 56, holds a law degree from Harvard and a bachelor’s degree in history from the College of Idaho, now Albertson College. Supreme Court Justice Linda Copple Trout, who served as a district judge in Nez Perce and Clearwater counties for two years before being appointed to the Supreme Court in 1992 by Gov. Cecil Andrus. Trout, 44, was the first woman justice on the court. She earned both bachelor’s and law degrees from the University of Idaho, and previously practiced law with a Lewiston firm. Jesse R. Walters, chief judge of the state Court of Appeals, who has served on the court since its inception in 1982. Walters, 57, holds law degrees from the University of Idaho and the University of Virginia.

This sidebar appeared with the story: AND THE WINNERS ARE … Supreme Court Justice Gerald F. Schroeder, who served as a district judge in Boise for 20 years before being appointed to the high court in 1995 by Gov. Phil Batt. Schroeder, 56, holds a law degree from Harvard and a bachelor’s degree in history from the College of Idaho, now Albertson College. Supreme Court Justice Linda Copple Trout, who served as a district judge in Nez Perce and Clearwater counties for two years before being appointed to the Supreme Court in 1992 by Gov. Cecil Andrus. Trout, 44, was the first woman justice on the court. She earned both bachelor’s and law degrees from the University of Idaho, and previously practiced law with a Lewiston firm. Jesse R. Walters, chief judge of the state Court of Appeals, who has served on the court since its inception in 1982. Walters, 57, holds law degrees from the University of Idaho and the University of Virginia.