POCATELLO — The Sixth Judicial District Magistrates Commission will be evaluating 15 prospective candidates to replace Sixth District Magistrate Gaylen Box, who announced last month he will retire at the start of 2013 after more than 20 years on the bench.

    As part of the process for selecting a new magistrate, evaluation questionnaires have been sent to attorneys statewide. The Magistrate Commission will consider all comments received about each candidate who has applied for the impending vacancy.

    Those candidates are: Scott Ellis Axline, of Blackfoot, private attorney; Richard Allen Diehl Jr., of Chubbuck, deputy prosecutor for the City of Pocatello; Joe Denton Dobbins Jr., of Pocatello, private attorney; David A. Hooste, of Firth, private attorney; Mary Shea Huneycutt, of Inkom, private attorney; Angela Jensen, of Pocatello, attorney for Idaho Legal Aid; Ian Christopher Johnson, of Pocatello, deputy public defender for Bannock County; David Robert Martinez, of Pocatello, chief public defender for Bannock County; Douglas K. Merkley, of Pocatello, private attorney; Nick Lewis Nielson, of Pocatello, private attorney; Mark R Petersen, of Pocatello, private attorney; Zachary G. Parris, of Pocatello deputy prosecutor for Bannock County; JaNiece Price, of Pocatello, deputy prosecutor for Bannock County; Stephen Andrew Stokes, of Pocatello, private attorney; Charles Paul van Ormer, of Boise, private attorney.

    The public is also invited to comment on those attorneys who have applied for the magistrate position. An evaluation questionnaire can be obtained from the Court Record’s Office, Room 218 at the Bannock County Courthouse, located at 624 E. Center St.

    You may also receive one via email by sending your request to suzyj@bannockcounty.us, from which an evaluation questionnaire will be sent back.

    Comments must be returned  by Oct. 24 to the Sixth District Trial Court Administrator’s Office, Room 220 at the Bannock County Courthouse.