In a letter to Gov. Brad Little, Idaho Supreme Court Justice John R. Stegner announced he’s retiring from judicial service on October 31, and said the state is asking judges to do too much, for too little.

Justice Stegner said he will be eventually returning to private practice as an attorney, and stated that retiring as a Supreme Court Justice was a “bittersweet decision” prompted by financial considerations and disparities in pay between judges and many attorneys.

Justice Stegner has served Idaho as a judge and justice since 1997, when Gov. Phil Batt appointed him to the district court bench in Latah County. Gov. Otter appointed him to the Idaho Supreme Court in 2018.

Under state law, Gov. Little will appoint a justice to replace Justice Stegner from a list of applicants provided by the Idaho Judicial Council.

The new justice will serve the rest of Justice Stegner’s term, which ends in January 2027.