(a) Determining jurisdictional amount. The jurisdictional amounts in Idaho Code Sections 1-2208 and 1- 2210, or in the Idaho Court Administrative Rules is exclusive of interest, costs, punitive damages and attorney fees, if any. In determining filing fees and jurisdictional amounts involved in an action, the total amount of all counts is added together to determine the amount claimed in the action. If, however, there are several counts asking for the same or similar relief, the assigned judge may determine by written order the actual amount in controversy for the purpose of determining whether the case is within the jurisdictional amount for assignment to a magistrate.
Rule 1.2.Jurisdictional amounts for assignment to magistrates; counterclaims and cross-claims
Title I: General Administration · Last amended July 1, 2016 · Last verified July 14, 2026
In one sentenceRule 1.2 explains how courts calculate the dollar amount in controversy for magistrate jurisdiction and what happens when a counterclaim or cross-claim pushes a case above that limit.
Full Text of Rule 1.2
(b) Counterclaim or cross-claim exceeding magistrate jurisdiction. If a counterclaim or cross-claim filed in the magistrate's division exceeds the jurisdiction of the magistrate, the original action and the counterclaim or cross-claim must be transferred to a district judge having jurisdiction.
Amendment History
(Adopted March 1, 2016, effective July 1, 2016.)
Plain-English Summary
Idaho magistrates can only hear civil cases up to a set dollar amount, and Rule 1.2 explains how that amount is figured. The jurisdictional amount leaves out interest, costs, punitive damages, and attorney fees — none of those count toward the limit. When a complaint has more than one count, the rule adds all the counts together to reach the total amount claimed for purposes of filing fees and jurisdiction. But if several counts ask for the same or similar relief rather than separate recoveries, the assigned judge can issue a written order setting the actual amount in controversy, so duplicate counts don't artificially inflate the total and push a case out of magistrate court.
Rule 1.2 also covers what happens when a counterclaim or cross-claim filed in magistrate's division exceeds the magistrate's jurisdictional limit: the entire case — the original claim along with the counterclaim or cross-claim — must be transferred to a district judge who has jurisdiction over the larger amount, rather than splitting the claims between two judges.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the jurisdictional amount for magistrate court include interest and attorney fees?
No. Rule 1.2 excludes interest, costs, punitive damages, and attorney fees from the jurisdictional amount calculation.
If my complaint has several counts, do I add them all together to determine the amount claimed?
Yes, generally the total amount of all counts is added together, unless the counts ask for the same or similar relief, in which case the judge may set the actual amount in controversy by written order.
What if a defendant files a counterclaim that exceeds the magistrate's jurisdiction?
The original action and the counterclaim or cross-claim both get transferred to a district judge who has jurisdiction over the full amount.
Does Rule 1.2 set the actual dollar limits for magistrate jurisdiction?
No, those limits come from Idaho Code and the Idaho Court Administrative Rules; Rule 1.2 only explains how to calculate an amount against whatever limit applies.
Can a party inflate a magistrate court case above the jurisdictional limit by splitting one claim into several counts?
Not effectively — if the counts seek the same or similar relief, the judge can set the real amount in controversy for assignment purposes rather than accepting the padded total.
Source & verification. Rule text
are reproduced verbatim from the Idaho Rules of Civil Procedure, adopted by the
Supreme Court of Idaho. Last verified July 14, 2026. ·
Official source
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