Magistrate judge finalists emerge

SANDPOINT — Five finalists have emerged to fill a vacancy on the magistrate court bench in Bonner County, 1st District Judge John T. Mitchell announced on Monday.

The finalists include:

• Valerie Elizabeth Fenton — Fenton is a deputy prosecutor for Bonner County. She was admitted to the Idaho State Bar in 2005.

• Suzanne Mary Fegelein — Fegelein is an attorney in private practice in Sandpoint. She was admitted to the bar in 2005.

• Tevis Hull — Hull is a Sagle attorney who serves as a deputy prosecuting attorney in Boundary County. He was admitted to the bar in 1990.

• John Meienhofer — Meienhofer is a private attorney who practices in Boise. He was admitted to the bar in 1992.

• Lori Tebben Meulenberg — Meulenberg is a prosecuting attorney for the city of Sandpoint. She was admitted to the bar in 1991.

The finalists will be interviewed on Friday at the Bonner County Administration Building at the corner of U.S. Highway 2 and Division Avenue.

 The interviews start at 9 a.m. and the public is invited to observe the proceedings.

The vacancy on the bench was created earlier this year, when magistrate court Judge Barbara Buchanan was appointed by Gov. Butch Otter to serve as a district judge in Bonner County. Buchanan succeeds 1st District Judge Steve Verby, who has shifted to senior status.