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 the first of four women to serve on the court. ^{[4] [5] [6]}

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] [14]} based in Lewiston. ^{[12] [15] [16]}

Trout was appointed 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) ^[17] and 2002. ^{[18] [19]} Trout became the chief justice in February 1997, elected unanimously by the other justices, ^{[20] [21]} and served two terms in that capacity, over seven years. ^[22] 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. ^[23]

She is married to attorney Kim J. Trout (B.S. 1976, J.D. 1979, Idaho). ^{[1] [2] [24]}

See also

• List of female state supreme court justices

References

External links

• Archived Idaho Supreme Court Bio