Idaho
Supreme Court candidate Curt McKenzie, who will
be on November’s ballot to replace retiring
Justice Jim Jones, will be the guest of the
North Idaho Federated Republican Women from 5:30
to 7 p.m. today at DiLuna’s Cafe in Sandpoint,
and he'll be at the Chic-n-Chop in Bonners Ferry
from 8 to 9 a.m. Friday morning.McKenzie’s judicial philosophy includes a commitment to honor the constitution and constitutional statues, to respect the separation of powers between the branches of government, to treat everyone impartially under the law, and to interpret laws reasonably and according to their plain language.
Born in the Pacific Northwest, McKenzie attended Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa, Idaho, to play soccer and run track. He paid his own way through college and took a year off to work and save money so he could graduate without debt. He earned a Bachelor of Art, magna cum laude, with a double major of Physics and History.
After graduation he was offered a full tuition scholarship to Georgetown University Law Center. At Georgetown he met the late Justice Scalia and served as an editor of The Tax Lawyer, which is published by the American Bar Association with the assistance of the Georgetown University Law Center. He graduated magna cum laude in the top 10-percent of his law school class.
Curt McKenzie began his legal career as an attorney with a large law firm in Washington, DC, where he represented the U.S. Olympic Committee, Major League Soccer and other clients in protecting their intellectual property rights. He returned to Idaho to serve as a deputy prosecuting attorney, gaining extensive trial experience representing the State of Idaho in prosecuting criminal cases. Afterward he joined the law firm of Stoel Rives LLP, where he concentrated his practice in complex civil litigation.
Shortly after being elected to the Idaho State Senate, Curt McKenzie started his own firm. He is also a small business owner with a disabled veteran friend from college.
Since 2002, McKenzie has served in the Idaho State Senate, representing Canyon County’s District 13. He quickly rose to leadership as Chairman of the Senate State Affairs Committee where he presided over numerous confirmation and legislation hearings. Shortly after being elected to the Idaho State Senate, Curt McKenzie started his own firm. He is also a small business owner with a disabled veteran friend from college.
In addition to his service in the legislature, McKenzie recently finished a term as President of the Pacific Northwest Economic Region (PNWER), which is considered the gold standard for U.S.-Canadian relations. He has served on several state and national legislative committees, including the Public Defense Reform Interim Committee, Economic Outlook and Revenue Assessment Committee, the NCSL Nuclear Legislative Workgroup, and the Energy Environment and Technology Interim Committee.