Justice Burdick received his Bachelor’s of Science degree in Finance from the
University of Colorado in 1970 and graduated from the University of Idaho School
of Law with a Juris Doctorate in 1974. From 1970 to 1971, he worked as a bank
examiner with the Idaho Department of Finance. From 1974 to 1980, he worked with
the law firm of Webb, Pike, Burton & Carlson in Twin Falls, Idaho, then as
Deputy Prosecuting Attorney in Ada County, and finally as a partner with the law
firm of Hart and Burdick, in Jerome, Idaho.
While with Hart and Burdick from 1976 to 1980, he served as a Public Defender in
Camas, Lincoln, Jerome and Gooding Counties, as well as a general practice. In
November 1980, he was elected as Prosecuting Attorney for Jerome County. From
September 1981 to September 1993, he served as Magistrate Judge in Jerome
County. During that time, he was appointed the first Magistrate member of the
Idaho Judicial Council, President of Idaho Magistrate Association and Chairman
of Juvenile Rules Committee, as well as numerous other committees.
In September 1993, he was appointed District Judge in Twin Falls County and has
served on various Idaho Supreme Court advisory committees, including Chairman of
I.A.R. 32 Rules Committee. He again served on the Idaho Judicial Council from
1995 to 2001 as the District Court member. He served as President of the
District Judges Association from 2001 to 2003. In 2001, he was assigned to
preside over the Snake River Basin Adjudication.
In January 2001, he was appointed the Administrative Judge for the Fifth
Judicial District. Finally in August, 2003 he was appointed to be the
fifty-third Justice of the Idaho Supreme Court by Governor Dirk Kempthorne. He
was retained by popular election in 2004. He now serves as chair of the Criminal
Rules and Criminal Jury Instruction Committees. He was appointed Vice Chief
Justice of the Idaho Supreme Court in 2007.