Idaho’s newest federal magistrate judge sworn in to office

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Idaho’s newest federal magistrate judge, Raymond Patricco Jr., has been sworn in during a brief ceremony at the federal courthouse in Boise.

Chief District Judge David Nye said a more formal swearing-in ceremony with pomp and circumstance will be held at a later date, but Friday’s event allowed Patricco to get right to work presiding over his first hearing that afternoon.

Patricco succeeds Chief Magistrate Judge Ronald Bush, who is retiring after nearly 18 years on the bench in state and federal courts.

With roughly 1.8 million residents, Idaho has two federal district and two federal magistrate judges — the fewest federal judges of any state, including those with much smaller populations.