Idaho Supreme Court

Campaign finance reports show that Idaho Supreme Court candidate Robyn Brody has raised more than $177,000, but her campaign will be giving a small portion of that back because some contributions violated the state's campaign laws.

Brody received $27,000 from four farm-related companies all tied to one owner. Idaho's Sunshine Law prohibits donors from giving more than $10,000 to statewide candidates during primary or general elections, including banning aggregated contributions.

Deputy Secretary of State Tim Hurst says Brody is expected to file an amended report Wednesday.

The chief justice of Idaho's Supreme Court says he won't run for re-election, and one potential candidate has already announced he'll run for the newly vacant seat.

The Spokesman-Review reports that Chief Justice Jim Jones said Wednesday he won't seek a third six-year term. The 73-year-old Jones says he decided not to pursue the seat once he learned Clive Strong was interested.

The chief justice can't endorse a candidate but believes that Strong, who works in the state Attorney General's office, is "certainly qualified."

The Coeur d'Alene Tribe is asking the Idaho Supreme Court to order the state to enforce legislation banning instant horse racing terminals.

The tribe filed the petition with the state's highest court on Wednesday, contending that Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter's veto of the legislation was invalid because the governor didn't complete the veto within the required five-day time span.

A committee of Idaho lawmakers has begun the complicated task of trying to bring the state's public defense system in line with constitutional requirements.

Members of the Public Defense Interim Committee met in Boise on Thursday to hear from state and national experts who warned that Idaho's system is so inadequate that it's likely unconstitutional, and as a result, it's only a matter of time until a lawsuit forces the state to make major changes.

The Idaho Supreme Court is considering whether Native America[n] retailers that sell cigarettes to other Native American retailers must obtain Idaho state tax stamps.