Hon. John R. Stegner (Ret.)

Former Idaho Supreme Court Justice John R. Stegner (Ret.) brings decades of litigation and mediation experience to Signature Resolution’s panel of neutrals as both a trial lawyer and a trial judge.​

Justice Stegner views mediation as the art of the possible. With significant experience mediating cases as a trial judge, he often counseled participants on the flexibility and ingenuity available in resolving disputes through mediation. Justice Stegner highlighted the emotional and financial toll litigation extracts from individuals. He advocated for mediation as the preferable path for those seeking control in resolving their disputes. Notably, Justice Stegner mediated cases upon the request of other judges, never those assigned to him. In his mediation practice, Justice Stegner pursues elegant solutions that frequently reveal themselves in unexpected ways.​

After receiving a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Whitman College, Justice Stegner pursued his juris doctorate at the University of Idaho College ​of Law, where he was a member and managing editor of the Idaho Law Review. After graduating in 1982, he began his career as a law clerk for U.S. District Court Judge Harold L. Ryan. Following his clerkship, he became a trial lawyer with the firm Clements, Brown & McNichols, trying cases in both state and federal court and mediating a majority of the cases that he dealt with. While mediation was nascent at the beginning of his trial practice, it became apparent early on during his law practice that mediation was a ​more sensible and cost-effective way to resolve disputes. ​

After over ten years of navigating countless legal battles, Justice Stegner sought a more neutral path. He transitioned to the bench as a trial judge in a general jurisdiction court, spending twenty years resolving disputes formally on the bench and informally as a mediator. Notably, he pioneered innovative solutions such as establishing and overseeing a drug court for sixteen years and a mental health court for six years. Justice Stegner’s commitment to improving the approach to handling mental health and addiction in the criminal justice system inspired these initiatives. Even after his tenure, both courts continue to operate under new leadership. Eventually, after over two decades as a trial judge, he ascended to Idaho’s Supreme Court as an associate justice, retiring on October 31, 2023.​

In addition to his esteemed tenure on the bench, Justice Stegner is the recipient of the George G. Granata Jr. professionalism award, the most prestigious accolade bestowed upon a judge by the Idaho Judiciary. ​

Additionally, in 2017, he received the Idaho State Bar’s Distinguished Jurist Award, the highest form of recognition extended by the Bar to a member ​of the Idaho judiciary. Upon his retirement from the Supreme Court, the ​Idaho Bar presented him with a special honorary award in recognition of his distinguished service as a jurist.​

Having joined Signature Resolution, Justice Stegner eagerly anticipates leveraging his extensive experience as a mediator. Fundamentally, he is a problem-solver who delights in facilitating amicable resolutions. ​Few experiences rival the satisfaction he feels when disputing parties ​shake hands after a challenging day, marking the closure of a contentious chapter in their lives. Justice Stegner considers it a privilege to be entrusted with guiding litigants toward successfully resolving their disputes.