The Catalyst -  Idaho Drug Court and Mental Health Court Judges

 

The work of each drug court is carried out by the drug court team, led by the Judge, and with staff support and professional/technical guidance from the Drug Court Coordinator. Effective teamwork is essential to an effective drug court. But the catalyst, as in a chemical reaction, is the drug court judge. Without the catalyst there is no reaction among the other ingredients. Indeed, continuing judicial interaction with each drug court participant is one of the key components of the drug court.

 

In 2003, research was published showing the critical importance of the regular judicial hearing in reducing criminal behavior among the high risk offender population.  In addition, another of the key components, assuring “a coordinated strategy to respond to participant compliance” falls primarily to the drug court judge to facilitate, broker, and occasionally mediate. The judge is the team leader and the team captain. In the courtroom, the judge is the leading actor in the drama that is drug court. The perception of the judge’s concern, fairness, but insistence on compliance, is a significant element reported by drug court participants when they describe the success of the program in their lives.

 

Adhering to the research-based principles of behavior modification through the imposition of sanctions and the provision of rewards and positive incentives is a major responsibility of the drug court judge.  Idaho’s drug court judges participate in the program entirely voluntarily and assume a significantly increased workload as a result. However, they also report that the drug court work is highly rewarding and worth the additional effort.

 

As explained in Community Justice in Rural America (Dickey, 2002),
“…judges are key sources of energy for community justice, given the breadth of their judicial experience, their strong feeling of connection to and responsibility for the people in their respective counties, their belief that progress in possible, and their willingness to gather people to solve local problems.”   

Updated December 2008

 

First District

Kootenai County
Judge Penny Friedlander – Felony Drug Court
Judge John Mitchell – Mental Health Drug Court
Judge Scott Nass – DUI Court (Joel Hazel backup)
Bonner County
Judge Debra Heise – Felony Drug Court
Judge Barbara Buchanan –Felony Drug Court
Judge Steve Verby – Felony Drug Court
Benewah County
Judge Patrick McFadden – Felony Drug Court
 

Second District

Nez Perce County
Judge Jeff Brudie – Felony Drug Court
Judge Carl Kerrick – (backup for Felony Drug Court)
Judge Kent J. Merica – DUI Court
Judge Greg Kalbfleisch – Mental Health Court
       (backup for Family Reunification Court)
Judge Jay Gaskill – Family Reunification Court
       (backup for Mental Health Court)
Latah County
Judge John R. Stegner – Felony Drug Court, Mental Health Court
Clearwater and Idaho (and serving Lewis)
Judge John Bradbury – Felony Drug Court, Mental Health Court
 

Third

Canyon County
Thomas J. Ryan – Felony Drug Court
Judge George A. Southworth – Felony Drug Court
Judge Renae Hoff – Mental Health Court
Judge Frank P. Kotyk – Mental Health Court
Adams, Washington and Payette Counties
Judge Lynn Krogh – Tri County Felony Drug Court
Judge Tyler Smith – Gem County Felony Drug Court
 

Fourth

Ada County

Judge Tim Hansen – Felony Drug Court
Judge Cheri C. Copsey – Felony Drug Court
Judge J. William Harrigfeld - Juvenile Drug Court
Judge Michael McLaughlin - Mental Health Court
 

Fifth

Entire District
Judge John K. Butler – Felony Drug Court
Blaine County
Judge Robert Elgee - Felony Drug Court
Mark Ingram – (substitute for Judge Robert Elgee)
Mini/Cassia County
Judge Larry Duff – Juvenile Drug Court
Twin Falls County
Judge Mark Ingram – Juvenile Meth Court
Judge Richard Bevan – Mental Health Court
Judge Howard Smyser – DUI Court
 

Sixth

Bannock County
Judge Bryan Murray – Juvenile Drug Court
Judge Robert Naftz (as of December 4, 2007)– Misdemeanor/DUI Drug Court
Judge David C. Nye – (as of December 5, 2007) Felony Drug Court
Judge Rick Carnaroli and Judge Stephen Dunn – Felony Mental Health Court
Caribou County
Judge Ronald Hart – Misdemeanor/DUI Drug Court
Judge Mitchell W. Brown – Felony Drug Court
Oneida County
Judge David Evans – Misdemeanor/DUI Drug Court
Power County
Judge Paul S. Laggis – Misdemeanor/DUI Drug Court
Franklin County
Judge Mitchell W. Brown – Felony Drug Court
Judge Eric S. Hunn – Felony Drug Court
 

Seventh

Bingham County
Judge Jon Shindurling and Charles Roos – Felony Drug Court
Judge Scott Hansen – Misdemeanor/DUI Drug Court
Judge Darren Simpson – Juvenile Drug Court
Judge Ryan Boyer – Mental Health Court
Bonneville
Judge Gregory Anderson – Felony Drug Court
Judge Penny Stanford – Misdemeanor/DUI Drug Court
Judge Stephen Clark – Misdemeanor/DUI Drug Court
Judge Mark Riddoch – Child Protection Court
Judge Ralph Savage – Juvenile Drug Court
Judge Joel Tingey – Mental Health Court
Judge Brent Moss – Mental Health Court
Judge Michael Kennedy – Juvenile Mental Health Court
Judge Linda Cook – Diversion
Butte
Judge Ralph Savage – Felony/Misdemeanor/DUI Drug Court
Custer
Judge Ralph Savage – Felony/Misdemeanor Drug Court
 

 Fremont
Judge Brent Moss – Felony Drug Court
Judge Keith Walker – Misdemeanor/DUI Drug Court
Judge Michael Kennedy – Juvenile Drug Court
Judge Brent Moss – Mental Health Court
Jefferson
Judge Brent Moss – Felony Drug Court
Judge Keith Walker – Misdemeanor/DUI Drug Court
Judge Michael Kennedy – Juvenile Drug Court
Judge Brent Moss – Mental Health Court
Lemhi/Custer
Judge Stephen Clark – Adult Felony/Misdemeanor/DUI Drug Court
Madison
Judge Brent Moss – Felony Drug Court
Judge Keith Walker – Misdemeanor/DUI Drug Court
Judge Michael Kennedy – Juvenile Drug Court
Judge Brent Moss – Mental Health Court
Jefferson/Madison/Fremont (Upper Valley)
Judge Michael Kennedy – Juvenile Mental Health
Teton
Judge Colin Luke – Felony Drug Court, Misdemeanor DUI Drug Court