Opinion ID: 2616587
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Motions For Disqualification Under I.C.R. 25(a) Must Be Granted Irrespective Of How Often A Party Moves To Disqualify A Particular Judge.

Text: In this case, there is no dispute that Bower's individual motions were each timely filed in conformity with I.C.R. 25(a)(1). Thus, each disqualification motion, if viewed alone, would have to be granted. Judge Morden urges that the number of disqualification motions filed by Bower against Judge Morden, viewed in aggregate, converted the individual conforming motions to non-conforming motions subject to denial. We hold that it did not. The single ground upon which the district court found that Bower had abused I.C.R. 25(a) was its conclusion that Bower's blanket motions were an improper attempt to influence Judge Morden's future rulings on issues of law. We do not embrace this conclusion. Bower's disqualification motions could not have affected Judge Morden's future rulings on issues of law because, if Bower's disqualification motions were granted, there would be no more rulings of law by Judge Morden in cases where Bower was a party. Judge Morden suggests that Bower's blanket motions are a usurpation of the judiciary's power. Pointing to Article 5, § 2 of the Idaho Constitution, Judge Morden contends that, because the Supreme Court administers and supervises the judiciary pursuant to constitutional mandate, Bower's blanket motions invade that exclusively judicial function. He argues that the number of Bower's motions resulted in removing him entirely from the criminal docket. This Court clearly contemplated disqualification as a matter of right in promulgating I.C.R. 25(a)(1) without any language limiting the number of times a party may invoke the rule as against a single judge. Therefore, Bower's motions cause no divestiture of this Court's constitutional power. We also disagree with the district court's conclusion that Judge Morden's blanket denials were an abuse of discretion because, as explained above, no discretion ought to have been involved in ruling on Bower's motions. However, we affirm the district court's conclusion that Judge Morden's denial of Bower's motions was impressible on the alternative basis that inherent in the right to disqualification as a matter of right is the prohibition of a blanket denial of such motions.