Idaho Attorneys are lawyers who are barred and practice law within the State of Idaho. Idaho Attorneys must be in good standing with the Idaho Bar Association and have either taken, and passed, the Idaho Bar Examination or have been permitted to practice law within the State of Idaho either direct permission, such as pro hoc vice, or through reciprocity with another State. Idaho attorneys who practice in criminal law represent clients who have been charged with felonies, misdemeanors, traffic violations, DUIs and other violations against the city, county or the State of Idaho. Idaho Attorneys who practice in civil litigation will represent clients in matters involving torts, contracts, real estate, landlord/tenant, corporations, and other matters where the plaintiff is looking for damages instead of penalties against the defendant.
How does one become an Idaho Attorney?
In order to practice law within the State of Idaho an Idaho Attorney must meet a number of requirements set out by the Idaho Bar Association. An applicant who wishes to become an Idaho Attorney must have received a bachelors degree from a recognized college or university. In addition, an applicant who wishes to become an Idaho Attorney must also have graduated from an accredited law school within the United States or meet the other options listed in the Idaho Bar Association’s list of acceptable alternatives. Once an individual has been accepted and graduated from an accredited law school then that individual must take and pass the Idaho bar exam.
To be an Idaho Attorney an individual must take, and pass, the Idaho Bar Exam. The Idaho bar exam is a two day exam that gauges a potential Idaho attorneys ability to know both federal and state law as well as write persuasively. The first day of the Idaho bar exam consists of 7 essay questions written and administered by the Idaho Bar Examiners Office that test on Idaho State Law. The first day also includes 2 Multi-State Performance Tests which are 90 minute questions that gauge an applicants ability to take facts and substantive law together to create a persuasive memorandum or brief. The second day of the Idaho Bar Exam is the multi-State bar exam which is a multiple choice exam that is administered by the National Board of Bar Examiners. The Idaho Board of Bar Examiners allots 200 points to the MBE and another 200 points to everything else. A combined score of 280 is considered passing on the Idaho Bar Exam. The annual pass rate for the Idaho Bar Exam is around 75%.
In addition to passing the Idaho Bar Exam the future Idaho Attorney must also fill out an application for background checks to ensure the Idaho Bar Association that the applicant represents the character and fitness necessary to practice law as an Idaho Attorney. The Idaho Attorney must also pass the Multi-State Performance Exam with a passing score of 85.
The Idaho Court System
The Idaho court system is broken up into three divisions: trial division, appellate court, and the supreme court of Idaho. The trial division of the Idaho court system is comprised of the Magistrate courts and the District courts. The Magistrate courts handle misdemeanor crimes, juvenile crimes, family law, probate, and civil cases below a certain dollar amount. The District courts hear all felony cases, misdemeanor cases on appeal from the magistrate courts, and civil matters involving more than a specific amount in question. There are 7 district courts in the State of Idaho. The Idaho Court of Appeals hears all appeals from the District courts and The Supreme Court hears all cases on appeal from the Idaho Court of Appeals.
Discipline
If you have had a problem involving an ethical violation by your Idaho Attorney it may be necessary to file a complaint with the Idaho Office of Bar Counsel. An Idaho Attorney is expected to uphold the Idaho rules of professional conduct on a 24 hour a day basis. Before you file any kind of complaint against any Idaho attorney you should first discuss the matter with your Idaho attorney. Filing a formal grievance is a serious matter and should only be filed when it is absolutely necessary. If you decide that filing a report is necessary then you should download the complaint packet at www.isb.idaho.gov completing all the requested fields and mail the signed packet to:
Idaho State Bar
Office of Bar Counsel
P.O. Box 895
Boise, ID 83701
Finding Idaho Attorneys
If you need to find an Idaho Attorney you may take advantage of an internet search to find an Idaho attorney in your area that practices law in the area that you need representation in. Idaho attorneys keep web pages in order to solicit clients. These websites have a wealth of information including the Idaho attorneys’ experience, education, certificates and any other positive attributes of the Idaho attorney.
You can also take advantage of the Idaho Bar Associations lawyer referral service by calling 208-334-4500. The Idaho attorney referral service will place you in touch with an Idaho attorney who has had no pending disciplinary complaints and has liability insurance. The attorney that the Idaho referral service puts you in contact with will charge you a modest fee, no more than $35, for a half hour consultation. If your matter involves personal injury or workers compensation then the referral service may waive the fee.
One other option is to use the laws.com lawyer referral service at the top of this page. By clicking on the “find a lawyer” link on the top of this page you will be able to access the laws.com referral page. By including your name, contact information, and a brief description of your legal problem you will be contacted by a representative from laws.com with information about an Idaho attorney in your area.
