Linda Copple Trout

Linda Jayne Copple Trout (born September 1, 1951) is an American lawyer and retired judge from Idaho. She is a former chief justice of the Idaho Supreme Court, the only female to hold that position.[1] Appointed by Governor Cecil Andrus as an associate justice in 1992,[2][3] she was also the first of three women to serve on the court.[4][5][6]

Linda Copple Trout
Chief Justice of the Idaho Supreme Court
In office February 1, 1997 – August 31, 2004
Preceded by	Charles McDevitt
Succeeded by	Gerald Schroeder
Justice of the Idaho Supreme Court
In office September 1, 1992 – August 31, 2007
Appointed by	Cecil Andrus
Preceded by	Larry Boyle
Succeeded by	Joel Horton
Personal details
Born	September 1, 1951 Tokyo, Japan
Spouse(s)	Kim J. Trout
Residence	Idaho
Education	University of Idaho (BA, JD)

Born in Tokyo, Japan, Trout was adopted by a Boise pediatrician, Dr. B.I. "Bing" Copple,[1][7] and graduated from Boise High School in 1969. She attended the University of Idaho in Moscow, and was a member of Pi Beta Phi sorority.[8][9] Trout earned a bachelor's degree in 1973, and a J.D. from the UI College of Law in 1977.[10][11]

Trout passed the bar in Idaho in 1977 and was in private practice in Lewiston for six years.[10][12] She was appointed a county magistrate judge in 1983 and was elected in 1990 as a state judge in the second district,[13] based in Lewiston.[12][14][15]

Trout was appointed by Governor Andrus to the state's supreme court in 1992 and took office on her 41st birthday. She retained her seat in statewide elections in 1996 (unopposed)[16] and 2002.[17][18] Trout became the chief justice in February 1997, elected unanimously by the other justices,[19][20] and served two terms in that capacity, over seven years.[21] She was on the state's highest court for fifteen years and retired with over a year left in her term in August 2007,[5][6] succeeded by Joel Horton.[22]

She is married to attorney Kim J. Trout (B.S. 1976, J.D. 1979, Idaho).[1][2][23]

See also

• List of female state supreme court justices

References

1. Warbis, Mark (January 26, 1997). "A benchmark for Idaho's first female justice". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
2. Abrams, Joan (August 18, 1992). "Trout named to state's high court". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 1A.
3. "Andrus names justice". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. August 18, 1992. p. A1.
4. "Easterners slighted by Trout appointment". Moscow-Pullman Daily News. (Idaho-Washington). Associated Press. August 19, 1992. p. 4A.
5. "Nasty campaigns lead Idaho Supreme Court justice to quit". Moscow-Pullman Daily News. (Idaho-Washington). Associated Press. May 24, 2007. p. 4A.
6. Russell, Betsy Z. (May 24, 2007). "High court justice to retire". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. A1.
7. "Rebecca Hogg Copple Dwyer". Boise High School, Class of 1956. Retrieved August 17, 2015.
8. "Pi Beta Phi". Gem of the Mountains, University of Idaho yearbook. 1971. p. 298.
9. "Pi Beta Phi". Gem of the Mountains, University of Idaho yearbook. 1972. p. 142.
10. Garten, Kara (October 8, 1992). "Justice Trout gives tips to law students". Moscow-Pullman Daily News. (Idaho-Washington). p. 3A.
11. "Grads urged to help rebuild public trust". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. May 17, 1998. p. B3.
12. Abrams, Joan (August 24, 1992). "It's just starting to sink in". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 1A.
13. Askari, Mohsin (May 13, 1990). "Battle of thick and thin hinges on experience". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 1C.
14. Long, Ben (May 4, 1990). "Judge's post to be decided May 22". Idahonian. (Moscow). p. 12A.
15. "Trout wins race for second district judge". Idahonian. (Moscow). May 23, 1990. p. 10A.
16. "Primary election results". State of Idaho. May 28, 1996. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
17. Fick, Bob (May 29, 2002). "Justice Trout wins handily". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. p. 1A.
18. "Primary election results". State of Idaho. May 28, 2002. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
19. Abrams, Joan (December 13, 1996). "Trout is ready to tackle big task". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 1A.
20. "Chief justice to retire in September". Moscow-Pullman Daily News. (Idaho-Washington). December 13, 1996. p. 4A.
21. "Schroeder elected as Idaho chief justice". Idaho Mountain Express. Ketchum. Associated Press. 2007. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
22. "Horton named to Idaho Supreme Court". Moscow-Pullman Daily News. (Idaho-Washington). September 19, 2007. p. 4A.
23. "Welcome". Boise, Idaho: Trout Law. Retrieved August 18, 2015.

External links

• Archived Idaho Supreme Court Bio