Chief Deputy Minidoka County Prosecutor Jona-than Brody, along with Eric Wildman, attorney for the Snake River Basin Adjudication, could soon become judges.

Wildman and Brody passed nine other candidates vying for positions left vacant by two Magic Valley judges. Judge John Melanson in Minidoka County has been appointed to the Idaho Court of Appeals and was presiding judge for the Snake River Basin Adjudication. Fifth District Court Admini-strative Judge Barry Wood is retiring.

After whittling down two separate pools of candidates — with some candidates vying for both seats — the Idaho Judicial Council gave the governor Wildman and Brody’s names for consideration.

Judges are appointed in Idaho when vacancies are created before the expiration of a sitting judge’s term. Both candidate pools were interviewed Nov. 17 by the judicial council, before names were passed to the governor.

Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter has had the two names for the two jobs for about a week. He, however, does not have a timeline for when he will make selections, said Otter’s spokesman Jon Hanian.

Brody and Wildman told the Times-News they would be required to move if the governor officially selects them.

“I’d be happy in either place,” said Brody, a Twin Falls resident, about his name being referred to Otter for both positions. “If selected, we’d be happy to move.” Brody has been practicing law in Idaho for about 15 years, he said.

Wildman graduated law school in 1994 and has been with the SRBA for about 10 years. He declined to comment on his name being given to Otter.

Idaho Judicial County Executive Director Robert Hamlin declined Wednesday to comment on the interviews or candidates.

The larger candidate pool had included area prosecutors and private attorneys. Former magistrate judge and local lawyer Kevin Cassidy was a candidate, but withdrew his name for consideration and did not attend the interviews last week in Ada County. Cassidy was charged with driving under the influence for an alleged incident near his Hailey law office on Nov. 13 and he has a pretrial conference on Dec. 10 in Blaine County.

According to the Judicial Council Web site, other candidates in one or both positions included:

• Calvin Campbell, prosecutor for Gooding and Camas counties

•Dennis Byington, Mini-Cassia area public defender

• Philip A. Brown, private attorney in Gooding

• John Andrew, Bingham County prosecutor

• Raymond Goettsch, a claims attorney for Liberty Mutual Group in Bellevue

• John Meienhofer, private Boise-based lawyer

• Kent Jenson, private lawyer in Burley

• Elton Burky, private lawyer in Greenville, Maine

• Raymond Goettsch, attorney with Liberty Mutual Group, Bellevue

Andrea Jackson may be reached at ajackson@magicvalley.com or 208-735-3380.