Opinion ID: 1237886
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: part iii, addendum

Text: Some years ago in an opinion I suggested the lack of wisdom on the part of a majority of the then members of this Court who had earlier argued against expanding this Court to seven members. The inefficiency and waste of judicial resources of this present two-tiered appellate system is extremely well illustrated by today's debacle. Were this Court comprised of seven justices (which of interest is the manner in which this building was designed and constructed), many of the appeals which five of us now sit to hear could be, and in my humble opinion would be, more expeditiously heard by panels of three justices. Where deemed appropriate, as would be immediately apparent, whenever a panel could not reach a unanimous conclusion, the cause could be immediately reheard by a five-member panel which could readily be accomplished by the Chief Justice making the assignments necessary. In extremely important civil and criminal cases, especially where issues of a constitutional dimension were involved, the Court could sit en banc, and four votes would constitute a majority. The entire legal profession hopefully will see the need for initiating appropriate action, the purpose of which should be to place seven justices behind the bench which was designed for seven, and in seven office spaces which were designed and constructed for seven justices and their three supporting personnel. The readers of the opinions which emanate from the two Idaho appellate courts will readily see in counting raised hands, that there was for certain one additional vote to join Chief Judge Walters, Judge Swanstrom, and Judge Silak, thus constituting a majority of four, if our appellate system had been restructured as suggested. That one certain vote could have been any one of us who this day votes that the cause finally be returned to the district court for a new trial. Under this present two tiered system of appellate review there is unnecessary waste of judicial resources and, consequently, needless expenditure of public monies.