Meulenberg announces retirement

Bonner County Magistrate Judge Lori Meulenberg has announced plans to retire and the First Judicial District Magistrates Commission will be meeting in May to approve her replacement.

Meulenberg, who has been a judge in Bonner County since March 2013, will retire in July after 11 years of service. There are six applicants currently being considered to take over Meulenberg’s position: Nathan Adams, a deputy prosecutor in Kootenai County; Amy Bistline, a staff attorney in Bonner County; Catherine Enright, a chief deputy public defender in Bonner County; Luke Hagelberg, a chief public defender in Bonner County; Stacia Hagerty, an attorney in Kootenai County; and Donald Terry, a Bonner County public defender in Bonner County.

Evaluation questionnaires are available for public input to help the commission make a well-rounded and informed decision on each applicant. 

“Complete this questionnaire only with respect to individuals whom you know sufficiently well, based upon personal contact and/or professional experiences, to render a sound and informed opinion,” commission officials said in announcing the questionnaire.

The content of the responses received, rather than the volume of responses received, will be the focus of the commission as they work to reach a decision. 

The questionnaire will seek to gain the public’s opinions on each applicant and will ask questions regarding the respondent’s connection to the applicant and any information the respondent believes is pertinent for the commission to know about the applicant. 

“The area(s) most important to the commission are each applicant’s integrity and moral courage, legal ability, legal experience, intelligence and wisdom, capacity to be fair-minded and deliberate, industriousness and promptness in performing duties, compatibility of personal habits and outside activities with judicial office, and capacity to be courteous and considerate on the bench,” the questionnaire said.

Evaluations should be returned to the Trial Court Administrator’s office no later than April 29.

Questionnaires for public comment may be obtained from the Bonner County District Court Clerk’s office located on the first floor of the Bonner County Courthouse, 215 S. First Ave. in Sandpoint, or at the First District Trial Court Administrator’s office in the Kootenai County Courthouse, 501 N. Government Way in Coeur d’Alene. Evaluations can also be accessed on the Kootenai County District Court webpage and the Bonner County District Court webpage.