JUDGES APPOINTED IN THIRD, SIXTH DISTRICTS
OTTER FILLS JUDICIAL VACANCIES IN CANYON AND BANNOCK COUNTIES

(BOISE) – Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter announced the appointment new district judges today in the 3rd and 6th judicial districts, filling vacancies in Canyon and Bannock counties left by a retirement and a federal appointment.

In the 3rd District, Governor Otter named long-time Owyhee County Magistrate Thomas J. Ryan to fill a vacancy left by the retirement of Judge James C. Morfitt from the district bench in Caldwell. Ryan is a Caldwell native who lives in Homedale with his wife Diane. They have three children and four grandchildren.

Ryan has an accounting degree from Notre Dame and a law degree from the University of Idaho. He has run the 3rd Judicial District’s Drug Court operations from his position as a magistrate, and was instrumental in creating the Canyon County Youth Court program.

“Judge Ryan has a well-earned reputation for being hard-working, fair-minded and thoughtful. His broad experience includes handling civil and criminal cases with distinction, and his commitment to innovative problem solving shows in his work in mediation and court diversion programs,” Governor Otter said. “Tom is extremely professional and well prepared to follow in the footsteps of a great jurist in Judge Morfitt.”

In the 6th District, Governor Otter named private attorney David C. Nye of Pocatello to fill the vacancy created by the recent elevation of Judge Randy Smith to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Nye is a California native who graduated from Brigham Young University and its J. Reuben Clark Law School. He has been with the Pocatello law firm of Merrill & Merrill for 20 years. He and his wife Katre have eight children.

“Dave has the values, character and deep understanding of his community to be a successful and respected district judge,” Governor Otter said. “Like Judge Smith before him, Dave is committed to the area and its people, as well as to the law. While someone of Judge Smith’s quality and integrity is tough to replace, I’m proud to be able to fill this position with so able a candidate.”

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