Three new magistrate judges announced to serve in Jefferson, Custer and Teton counties
Published at
RIGBY — With the retirements or changes in judgeships in Idaho’s Seventh Judicial District, three new magistrate judges have been selected to fill the voids left behind.
According to a release from The Seventh Judicial District Magistrate Commission, J. Scott Andrew, Trent J. Belnap and Jason Spillman were selected to serve as new magistrate judges.
Andrew will serve as Custer County’s Magistrate Judge to fill the seat left by Judge James Howard Barrett Jr., who is set to retire on March 20.
The release states that Andrew has served as an assistant managing attorney at the Idaho State Public Defender’s Office in Bannock County since 2024, and previously served as the office’s chief public defender from 2014 to 2024. Andrew has previously worked in the judicial realm, serving as a prosecutor in Twin Falls and Bingham County.
Belnap will take over the seat left vacant by District Judge Daniel Clark in Jefferson County, as Clark was appointed to serve as a district judge in the Seventh District on Dec. 23.
Since 2014, Belnap has served as the general counsel and vice president of Doug Andrus Distributing LLC, while also maintaining his own law practice and serving as an associate attorney for Nelson Hall Perry Tucker, PCLLC. Belnap has also served as deputy prosecutor for Bonneville County.
In 2008 and 2009, Belnap worked as a law clerk and a staff attorney for former Judge Joel E. Tingey.
Just as Belnap did, Spillman will take over as a magistrate judge in Teton County from newly appointed District Judge Jason D. Walker. He was also appointed in December.
The release states that Spillman has served in the Administrative Office of the Courts at the Idaho Supreme Court since 2017. Prior to that, he was the section chief, lead deputy attorney general, and deputy attorney general for the Idaho Attorney General.
The Magistrate Commission Chairman, District Judge Steven W. Boyce, stated in the release that he is proud of the commission’s work in selecting these three candidates, whom he believes will serve the residents of Jefferson, Custer and Teton the best.
“Seeing the hard work and thoughtful consideration exercised by each member of the 7th Judicial District Magistrates Commission reaffirms my confidence in the process enacted by our legislators to select highly qualified and honorable magistrate judges,” Boyce stated in the release.
The three new magistrate judges will serve an 18-month probationary period and face a retention election. If retained, the judges will serve a term of four years.