• Experience and Education:

    Magistrate Judge, Ada County, 2016-2025

    Judicial Resiliency Coaching Program / National Judicial College, 2025/2026

    University of Idaho School of Law, Adjunct Professor, ADR/Negotiation 2025

    Idaho Supreme Court, Wellness Faculty for New Judges, 2022-2025

    Advisory Board of National Judicial Wellbeing Collaborative, 2025

    Positive Intelligence Coaching Program, 2025

    Embodied Neuroscience Coaching Program, 2024

    Certified Coach, mBit International, 2023

    Legal & Liability Risk Management Institute, Courthouse Security Training, Nevada, 2023

    Idaho Supreme Court Faculty Development Training, 2023

    National Judicial College, Mindfulness for Judges, 2019

    NCJFCJ Domestic Violence Training, New Mexico, 2018

    National Judicial College, General Jurisdiction, 2017

    Northwest Institute for Dispute Resolution, Advanced Mediation, 2011

    Northwest Institute for Dispute Resolution, University of Idaho, Family Law Mediation course, 2006

    Pepperdine University School of Law, J.D., 2000

    Seattle Pacific University, B.A., 1996

    Publications:

    Avoiding the Hollywood Drama - The Evolution of Mediation in Divorce, Idaho State Bar Advocate, Vol. 56, No. 5, 2013

Mediation

Mediation is a unique process that gives people an opportunity to avoid the unnecessary strains that litigation can impose upon their finances, time, and well-being.  In the past 25 years, Jill has served as litigator, mediator, and judge for countless families and individuals navigating legal matters which deeply affect their lives. Jill has worked almost exclusively with people in crisis who are experiencing change, conflict, and legal difficulties.

Ultimately, Jill has observed that the majority of people who have a hand in crafting their own futures tend to return to court less frequently, experience greater satisfaction in their outcomes, and salvage personal resources necessary for them to thrive following the court process.

While litigation is sometimes necessary to determine the rights and obligations of parties, overwhelmingly, mediation provides parties with a reliable mechanism to explore long-lasting and creative options that can spare them the often frustrating, expensive, and risky choice of engaging in trial.