Daniel T. Eismann

Daniel Thomas Eismann (February 15, 1947 – June 4, 2024) was an American lawyer and judge from Idaho. Elected to the Idaho Supreme Court in 2000, he was chief justice from 2007 to 2011,^[1] and retired in 2017.^[5]

Dan Eismann
Justice of the Idaho Supreme Court
In office January 2, 2001 (2001-01-02) – August 31, 2017 (2017-08-31)
Preceded by	Cathy Silak
Succeeded by	Richard Bevan
Chief Justice of the Idaho Supreme Court
In office 2007–2011
Preceded by	Gerald Schroeder
Succeeded by	Roger Burdick
Judge for the Ada County Court[1]
In office 1995–2001[1]
Magistrate Judge for the Owyhee County Court[1]
In office 1986–1995[1]
Personal details
Born	Daniel Thomas Eismann[2] (1947-02-15)February 15, 1947 Eugene, Oregon, U.S.[3][4]
Died	June 4, 2024(2024-06-04) (aged 77) Boise, Idaho, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Education	University of Idaho (BS, JD)
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	U.S. Army
Years of service	1967–1970
Unit	1st Air Cavalry (helicopters)
Battles/wars	Vietnam War
Awards	Air Medal (3) Purple Heart (2)

Life and career

Born in Eugene, Oregon, while his father attended law school, Eismann was raised in Homedale in Owyhee County, Idaho, and graduated from Vallivue High School near Caldwell in 1965. He attended the University of Idaho in Moscow for two years where he became a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, then enlisted in the U.S. Army.

Eismann served two consecutive tours of duty in Vietnam as a crew chief/door gunner on a Huey gunship helicopter, and was awarded two purple hearts for being wounded in combat and three medals for heroism.^[6] After an honorable discharge from the military, he returned to UI to complete his undergraduate degree in sociology and then graduated cum laude from its College of Law in 1976.^[1][6]

Eismann went into private practice in Homedale, and was appointed a magistrate judge in Owyhee County in 1986 and a district judge in Ada County in 1995.^[7]

Eismann unseated supreme court justice Cathy Silak in the statewide election in May 2000,^[8][9] the only defeat for an incumbent on the court since 1944.^[10][11][12] Eismann was unopposed for re-election in 2006 and 2012,^[13][14] and retired in August 2017.^[5]

Governor Butch Otter appointed Richard Bevan of the fifth district (Twin Falls) to fill the seat, who was unopposed for election in May 2018.^[5][15]

Eismann died on June 4, 2024, at the age of 77 at a hospital in the Boise area.^[16][17]