Rule Text
(a) Civil Cases. An administrative district judge (ADJ) may enlarge the civil cases assignable to magistrate judges under Idaho Court Administrative Rule (I.C.A.R.) 5(c). The order may include:
(1) magistrate judges in the judicial district;
(2) magistrate judges in a county in the judicial district; or
(3) specific magistrate judges in the judicial district.
(b) Criminal Cases. An ADJ may enlarge the criminal cases assignable to magistrate judges under I.C.A.R. 5.1. The order may include:
(1) magistrate judges in the judicial district;
(2) magistrate judges in a county in the judicial district; or
(3) specific magistrate judges in the judicial district.
Amendment history: (Adopted December 2, 2015, effective July 1, 2016; amended September 9, 2016, effective September 9, 2016; amended on March 24, 2017, effective July 1, 2017; amended December 14, 2017, effective January 1, 2018; amended August 1, 2025, effective August 1, 2025.)
Plain-English Summary (for reference only — not a substitute for the rule text above)
This summary is not the rule. The rule text controls.
This rule lets the top judge in a judicial district, called the administrative district judge, give magistrate judges more types of cases to handle than they would normally get. Magistrate judges usually handle a set list of civil and criminal cases. This rule allows that list to be expanded when needed.
For civil cases, the administrative district judge can decide to give more case types to all magistrate judges in the district, to magistrate judges in one specific county, or even to just certain named magistrate judges. The same options apply to criminal cases. This means the expansion does not have to apply to everyone. It can be narrowed down to fit what a specific area or specific judge needs.
In practice, this rule gives districts flexibility. If one county has a heavy caseload or needs extra help, the administrative district judge can allow magistrate judges there to take on more cases without changing the rules for the entire district. This helps courts manage their workload and keep cases moving without unnecessary delay.
