Marano, Five Other Judges On Their Way To Keeping Seats

Magistrates

Six North Idaho judges - including Magistrate Eugene Marano - seemed well on their way to keeping their seats late Tuesday.

With 8 percent of precincts reporting, Kootenai County residents overwhelmingly were voting to retain the magistrates who preside over divorce cases, juvenile justice, misdemeanors, traffic infractions and the early stages of felony cases.

Magistrates are selected by a commission, but every four years voters are asked whether they want to keep the judges in office.

This year, Marano, 52, had been singled out by two angry residents who claimed he was rude and handed out unfair sentences. They kicked off a campaign against him - even picketing the courthouse days before the election.

A judge for 11 years, Marano makes no apologies for his hard-nosed approach in the courtroom.

The other magistrates are Barbara Buchanan, Robert Burton, Quentin Harden, John Luster and Patrick R. McFadden.

, DataTimes