The Idaho Supreme Court is heading out of Boise this week, with scheduled hearings at two venues across the state — one on a university campus in eastern Idaho and another at a county courthouse facility in the Magic Valley.

This Week’s Schedule

Wednesday’s hearings will be held at Brigham Young University-Idaho in Rexburg, beginning at 8:45 a.m. in the Special Events Room MC387 at the Manwaring Student Center. Following the morning session, justices are expected to hold a public question-and-answer session at approximately 12:30 p.m.

On Thursday, the court moves to Twin Falls, where hearings will begin at 8:45 a.m. at the Twin Falls County Court Facility, located at 427 Shoshone St. N.

A Constitutional Requirement

The travel schedule is not optional. Idaho’s Constitution directs the state’s highest court to conduct hearings in different regions of the state, ensuring that judicial proceedings are not permanently anchored in the capital. The practice gives residents in communities far from Boise the opportunity to witness the court in session.

Both locations are open to the public, though visitors should be aware of a few courtroom rules. Backpacks, food, and beverages are not permitted inside, and cell phones must be silenced during proceedings. Anyone wishing to bring cameras or recording equipment must obtain advance permission from the court.

Bringing the Courts Closer to Idahoans

The Idaho Supreme Court handles some of the state’s most consequential legal questions, including high-profile matters currently working through the court system. A federal trial in Boise is testing the constitutionality of Idaho’s abortion ban, while another federal case involves a legal challenge to the state’s transgender bathroom law — both cases reflecting the range of complex legal disputes that ultimately shape Idaho policy.

This week’s out-of-Boise sessions offer residents in Rexburg and Twin Falls a direct look at how the state’s judiciary operates, outside the formal surroundings of the Capitol complex. For students at BYU-Idaho in particular, Wednesday’s hearing provides a live civics opportunity that few Idahoans get to experience firsthand.

The Idaho Judicial Branch announced the hearings Monday. No specific cases on this week’s docket were identified in the announcement.