BOISE - U.S. District Judge Edward J. Lodge, who presided over the Ruby Ridge and Claude Dallas trials, was honored by the Idaho Senate this week for his 50 years as an Idaho judge.

"His devotion to his family is very high on my list," said Senate Majority Leader Bart Davis, R-Idaho Falls, the sponsor of Senate Concurrent Resolution 132 which recognizes Lodge.

Lodge's wife, Sen. Patti Anne Lodge, R-Huston, gave a 16-minute speech in the Senate Wednesday on behalf of her husband, who sat with other family members and court employees in the Senate gallery.

"Ed loves the western way of life," Sen. Lodge said. "He loves his career as a judge."

She also said he loves his family.

"He would do anything for us," Sen. Lodge said.

The judge's family members in the Senate gallery included his son, Edward A. Lodge, a CenturyLink phone company lobbyist.

Lodge cases mentioned in the resolution include the Ruby Ridge standoff, tribal ownership of Lake Coeur d'Alene, Claude Dallas, Sami Al-Hussayen, mining damage in the Coeur d'Alene Basin and the death penalty trial of child-killer Joseph Duncan.

Lodge was chief judge for the U.S. District Court from 1992 to 1999 and continues today as a federal district judge in the District of Idaho.

The judge celebrated his 50th year on the federal and state benches on July 1, 2013. The resolution to honor Lodge passed unanimously.