BOISE, Idaho (KLIX) The deputy Attorney General of Idaho has been appointed by the governor to serve as a judge on the Idaho Court of Appeals. This week Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter announced Deputy Attorney General Jessica Marie Lorello will serve out the term of retired Judge John Melanson. Lorello of Meridian will be on the bench until 2019 and then must run for election if she chooses to regain her spot on the court. Since 2004, Lorello has worked in the Criminal Law Division of the Attorney General's Office.

“I am honored that Governor Otter has appointed me to the Idaho Court of Appeals. It has been my pleasure to serve the State of Idaho for the past 13 years, and I look forward to continuing to serve the people of this State in this new role,” Lorello said in a prepared statement. “I commit to do all I can to advance the rule of law and to maintain and enhance confidence in the judiciary.”

She earned a bachelor's degree in management from the University of North Carolina as well as a master's in healthcare administration and a law degree from the same university system. Lorello was nominated by the Idaho Judicial Council who submitted four names to the governor to fill the vacancy.

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