Justice Robyn Brody will become chief justice of the Idaho Supreme Court on Oct. 1, the Idaho Judicial Branch announced Thursday. She succeeds Chief Justice G. Richard Bevan, who is set to retire Oct. 30 after leading the court since 2021.

A Historic Appointment

Brody will be only the second woman to hold the chief justice position in Idaho history. The first was Linda Copple Trout, who assumed the role in 1997. Brody currently serves as vice chief justice of the court, to which she was first elected in 2016.

Under the Idaho Constitution, the chief justice is chosen by a majority vote of the Supreme Court’s members. The position carries significant responsibility — the chief justice leads the court and serves as the executive head of the state’s entire court system, a role that traditionally includes an annual address to the Idaho Legislature.

Background and Service

Brody has practiced law in Idaho for nearly three decades. In 2010, she founded her own law firm in Rupert. She has also served as an adjunct professor at the University of Idaho College of Law.

Beyond her judicial duties, Brody chairs Idaho’s Pro Bono Commission and the Idaho Supreme Court’s Language Access Committee. She also sits on the board of the Idaho Law Foundation, which oversees the Idaho Volunteer Lawyers Program and various civic education initiatives. Those roles have positioned her as a figure focused on broadening public access to the courts — a theme reflected in recent Idaho judicial initiatives such as the rollout of public records search kiosks across all 44 counties.

“Idaho is a special place; the dedication and professionalism of our independent courts have helped make it so. I am honored to serve our state in this way,” Brody told the Idaho Capital Sun in the announcement.

Bevan offered a supportive assessment of his successor, telling the Idaho Capital Sun that “Justice Brody has long worked to ensure that in a changing world, our courts remain accessible to all. Our Judicial Branch is in excellent hands.”

Transition Timeline

Brody officially assumes the chief justice role on Oct. 1, nearly a month before Bevan’s formal retirement at the end of October. The overlap provides a brief transition window as leadership of the state’s highest court changes hands.

The Idaho Supreme Court appointment comes as the state’s executive and judicial branches have both seen notable leadership changes this year. Governor Brad Little earlier made appointments to several state boards, reflecting a broader pattern of personnel turnover across Idaho’s governmental institutions heading into the fall.