Cottonwood Chronicle

The Second District Magistrate Commission conducted interviews on August 28, 2026,for the Idaho County Magistrate Judge position that will be vacated by Magistrate Jeff P.Payne, in January, 2027.
The group of finalists was especially well-qualified. They included:
Catherine Elizabeth Enright, Managing Attorney, Idaho State Public Defender– Bonner County, Sandpoint
Matthew Laurence Jessup, Chief Deputy Criminal/Civil Prosecutor – Idaho County, Grangeville
Joanna Maria McFarland, State Public Defender, Region 2, Lewiston
Abigail Ann Quinn, Coeur d’Alene Tribe Prosecutor, Plummer
After discussion, deliberation, and vote, the Commission selected Matthew Laurence Jessup.
On August 28, Matthew Laurence Jessup was chosen as the new Idaho County Magistrate Judge.
He is currently employed as Deputy Prosecutor in Idaho County, City attorney for Grangeville, as well as a private practice. He received his BS and BA degrees at the University of Idaho in 2003 in Human Resources Management, Management Information Systems, and English Literature. He obtained his law degree from the University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, in 2014.