Wayne L. Kidwell

Wayne LeRoy Kidwell (born June 15, 1938) is an American lawyer and jurist who is a retired Idaho Supreme Court justice, state attorney general, majority leader of the state senate.[3] He was also an associate deputy attorney general in the administration of President Ronald Reagan.[4]

Wayne Kidwell
Justice of the Idaho Supreme Court
In office January 1999 – January 2005
Appointed by	Election
Preceded by	Byron Johnson
Succeeded by	Jim Jones
Attorney General of Idaho
In office January 1975 – January 1979
Governor	Cecil Andrus John Evans (Idaho governor)
Preceded by	W. Anthony Park
Succeeded by	David Leroy
Member of the Idaho Senate
In office January 13, 1969 – January 10, 1972[1]
Prosecuting Attorney of Ada County, Idaho
In office 1966[2]
Personal details
Born	Wayne LeRoy Kidwell (1938-06-15) June 15, 1938 Council, Idaho
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Cheryl Ann "Shari" Linn Kidwell
Children	3 sons
Education	University of Idaho (BS, JD)
Profession	Attorney
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Army
Years of service	1961–1963
Rank	Captain
Unit	Military Police Corps
Battles/wars	Cold War

Early life and education

Born in Council, Idaho, Kidwell graduated from Boise High School in 1956.[5] He attended the University of Idaho in Moscow, was a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity,[6] and graduated in 1960 with a degree in pre-law.[7] He spent a year in law school and then went on active duty with the U.S. Army,[8] as an officer in the military police in New Jersey and South Korea.[8] After his military service, Kidwell returned to the UI and earned a J.D. from its College of Law.[8] During law school, he served for a summer as an aide to U.S. Senator Len Jordan.[8]

Professional career

After a few years representing insurance companies in Boise, Kidwell ran for Ada County prosecutor and won.[8] Two years later, Kidwell won a race for a seat in the Idaho Senate,[8] and a year later became the majority leader.[9] He ran for the congressional seat in 1972 that Jim McClure was vacating for the U.S. Senate, but lost in the Republican primary to Steve Symms and went back into private legal practice for several years.

Idaho Attorney General

In 1974, Kidwell defeated incumbent Idaho Attorney General Tony Park.[8][10] He served one four-year term and considered a run for governor in 1978,[11] but withdrew from the race in August 1977;[12][13] he returned campaign donations, telling Idaho voters that he was taking a sabbatical to travel with his family.[8][11]

Kidwell tried again for the congressional seat in 1980 vacated by Symms,[14][15] but lost the primary to state senator Larry Craig,[16][17] and then moved his family to Hawaii.[8]

Federal service

After joining a notable firm in Hawaii as a partner, Kidwell in 1982 was appointed U.S. associate deputy attorney general, and he represented the Republic of the Marshall Islands as its appointed attorney general.[8]

Idaho Supreme Court

After returning to Idaho and working in private practice for close to a decade, Kidwell ran for the Idaho Supreme Court in May 1994 against incumbent Justice Cathy Silak and lost.[4][8][18] Four years later, Kidwell ran again for an open seat and won a three-way race in May and the run-off in November;[8][19][20] he was the second in Idaho history to win elections in all three branches of state government (after former Chief Justice Allan Shepard), and was sworn in on January 4, 1999.[21]

Kidwell served one full six-year term on the court and retired at age 66 in January 2005, succeeded by Jim Jones.[8]

References

1. 2003/2004 Idaho Blue Book, Chapter 4 - Legislative Branch
2. RM-, Issue 612 (1977)
3. Fick, Bob (January 5, 1999). "Kidwell sworn in as Idaho high court justice". Moscow-Pullman Daily News. Idaho-Washington. Associated Press. p. 5A.
4. Kenyon, Quane (May 7, 1994). "Wayne Kidwell tries for a comeback as a relative unknown". Moscow-Pullman Daily News. Idaho-Washington. Associated Press. p. 4A.
5. "Wayne L. Kidwell". Boise High School, Class of 1956. Retrieved August 17, 2015.
6. "Sigma Chi". Gem of the Mountains, University of Idaho yearbook. 1960. p. 216.
7. "Seniors". Gem of the Mountains, University of Idaho yearbook. 1960. p. 312.
8. Hedberg, Kathy (October 17, 2004). "Off the bench; Retiring justice reflects on life spent in public service". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 1A.
9. Hall, Bill (December 8, 1971). "Kidwell hopes to build Northern Idaho ties". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 13.
10. Roche, Kevin R. (October 19, 1974). "Kidwell – at Grangeville – favors Sunshine with changes". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 7.
11. "Kidwell says he would relish primary race against Symms". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. Associated Press. December 19, 1978. p. 24.
12. "Ravenscroft believes door open to others". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. Associated Press. August 4, 1977. p. 3.
13. "Kidwell explains withdrawal". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. Associated Press. August 26, 1977. p. 3.
14. "Kidwell says he may run for House". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. May 22, 1979. p. 6.
15. "Kidwell courts conservative". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. Associated Press. April 17, 1980. p. 17.
16. "Idaho boosts Reagan over the top in GOP delegates". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. Associated Press. May 28, 1980. p. 3.
17. Kenyon, Quane (July 18, 1980). "Idaho campaigns can get expensive". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. p. 9.
18. "Primary election results". State of Idaho. May 24, 1994. Retrieved August 17, 2015.
19. "Primary election results". State of Idaho. May 26, 1998. Retrieved August 17, 2015.
20. "General election results". State of Idaho. November 3, 1998. Retrieved August 17, 2015.
21. Fick, Bob (January 5, 1999). "Kidwell takes seat on Idaho Supreme Court". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. p. 7A.