(Boise) – A retirement ceremony for Idaho Supreme Court Justice Wayne L. Kidwell is scheduled for Tuesday, December 14, 2004 in the Idaho Supreme Court Courtroom.
Justice Kidwell is retiring at the end of his current term, which runs through the end of this year. Justice-elect Jim Jones of Boise will assume the seat Kidwell has held on the state’s highest court since 1998. The retirement recognition begins at 3:30 pm, with a reception to follow. Chief Justice Gerald Schroeder will preside.
Justice Kidwell has served at the top level of all three branches of Idaho’s government, and in federal, state and local government positions. His elected positions include Ada County Prosecuting Attorney, Idaho State Senator, and Idaho Attorney General. He served as president of the Idaho Prosecuting Attorney’s Association, Majority Leader of the Idaho Senate, and Chairman of the Western Conference of Attorneys General.
Justice Kidwell was appointed Associate Deputy Attorney General of the United States during President Reagan’s term. His responsibilities included White House liaison with the United States Department of Justice. He traveled throughout Southeast Asia, the Pacific, and South America. Justice Kidwell represented the Republic of the Marshall Islands as its appointed Attorney General before United States Congressional Committees and the United Nations Trusteeship Council.
In addition to his government service, Justice Kidwell practiced law for many years both in large firms and as a solo practitioner in the State of Idaho and in the State of Hawaii.
Justice Kidwell was born in Council, Idaho, in 1938, and was raised in Boise. He received his B.A. and Juris Doctor degrees from the University of Idaho. He is admitted to practice law in the states of Idaho and Hawaii, the former United States Trust Territories, and before the United States Supreme Court, in front of which he has argued successfully.
Justice Kidwell was honorably discharged after active duty as an officer in the United States Army Military Police Corps. In 2002, Justice Kidwell was inducted into the Boise High School Hall of Fame. He has been recognized by Who’s Who in America for several years.
He is an avid and published photographer. Justice Kidwell and his wife, Shari, have two sons, Vaughn and Blair.
The Idaho Supreme Court is located at 451 W. State Street in Boise.