A first for Idaho: Senate approves woman to serve as U.S. District Court judge

The U.S. Senate on Thursday unanimously approved Appellate Judge Amanda K. Brailsford to serve as U.S. District Court judge in Idaho.

She will be the first woman to serve in that role in the state.

Brailsford, a Hagerman native, has served on the state Court of Appeals since 2019. President Joe Biden nominated her in January, and Idaho Sens. Jim Risch and Mike Crapo supported her approval.

“Judge Brailsford is an excellent choice to serve on the U.S. District Court in Idaho. Her credentials, and sound principles and judgment, make her a great fit for the Gem State,” Risch said in a statement. “I appreciate the Senate’s expeditious approval of her nomination and look forward to seeing her serve on the bench soon.”

Added Crapo: “Congratulations to Judge Brailsford on her historic confirmation to the U.S. District Court for Idaho. She will serve our state well, and Idahoans everywhere should be proud.”

Brailsford graduated from the University of Idaho with a bachelor’s degree in English in 1989. She then graduated summa cum laude in 1993 from law school. She was a clerk for Judge Thomas G. Nelson on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit from 1993 to 1995; worked at Holland & Hart LLP from 1995 to 2013, with the final 10 years spent as a partner; and in 2013 she became a founding partner at Andersen Banducci PLLC in Boise.

Idaho Supreme Court Chief Justice Richard Bevan also congratulated Brailsford for being “recognized through this historic appointment as the thoughtful, professional jurist I know her to be.”

“My colleagues on Idaho’s appellate courts and I have been honored to work with her over the past four years. We wish her success,” Bevan said in a news release.

Brailsford will occupy the seat vacated by B. Lynn Winmill, who moved to senior status on the District Court bench in 2021.