BENEWAH COUNTY, Idaho – He has worked in a courthouse for over two decades.
When Benewah County Judge Doug Payne is not overseeing cases, one North Idaho judge has another job title. Payne has personally refurbished and remodeled parts of the old courthouse.
In some smaller counties, like Benewah County, budgets can be tight and remodels are not easy. So for that reason, Payne went to work sprucing up the place.
"It was pretty apparent upon arriving here, it needed work," Payne said.
Twenty years ago, when he first showed up, it was courtroom in particular that caught the former prosecutor's eye.
"The floor literally had holes in it,” he explained.
Judge Payne's proper title may be "Your Honor" but the title of “Your Handyman” may be fitting too. Over the years, he has personally refinished and touched up parts of the courthouse.
“The counsel tables, the jury box, the witness box,” he said.
You can thank judge Payne for those. This wood backing was all him too.
"Everything in this courtroom was remodeled last year," Payne explained.
The small courtroom used to be a part time storage room. Over the years, others have helped out - like the undersheriff and Payne's wife. In part, Payne wanted to take pride in the place he worked. There was another factor there, too.
"When you build things with your hands, there's something left when you're finished. Law, one of the things that's frustrating about it, is when you're finished, there's just an empty courtroom and a bunch of paper," he said.
There is certainly something to show for Payne's physical efforts. Something that future judges and prosecutors will hopefully thank him for.
"There's something gratifying about doing something that lasts," he said.
Payne said there is still more work to be done down the road.