Paul D. Ziel is a founding member of the law firm of Murray, Ziel, & Johnston, PLLC. Paul worked for many years as a deputy prosecuting attorney and gained extensive trial and courtroom experience, including:
- More than 20 jury trials, including US District Court (Federal) – District of Idaho
- More than 100 Court/Bench Trials
- Appeared in Cases in California Federal Court, North Dakota Federal Court
- Argued cases in front of Idaho State Supreme Court, and Idaho Court of Appeals
Paul continues to enjoy the courtroom and focuses his practice on criminal and civil litigation. Paul handles a wide variety of criminal cases in both federal and state courts. Civilly, Paul’s litigation practice focuses predominantly on contract, business, and land use/construction disputes. Paul also does a substantial amount of guardianship cases, including representing the Bonneville County Board of Community Guardians. Additionally, Paul has extensive experience with mediation/alternative dispute resolution, adoption, divorce and child custody, probate, family law, personal injury, and general litigation.
Before forming Murray, Ziel, & Johnston, PLLC, Paul served in several legal positions in the Idaho Falls area. Paul had his own law firm, worked as a deputy prosecuting attorney in Bonneville and Jefferson counties, and also served as a judicial law clerk for multiple district court judges in the Seventh Judicial District. Paul was also an online instructor for BYU-Idaho from 2011 to 2018.
Paul graduated from the J. Reuben Clark Law School at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. As a law student, he was a senior editor on the BYU Journal of Public Law and published two legal articles for the same journal. Paul worked as a research assistant for a land use law professor and for a real property law professor. He was an active member and volunteer of the alternative dispute resolution club.
Paul also holds degrees from Brigham Young University in Economics and Ricks College in Business Management. Paul is a graduate of Rigby High School in Rigby, Idaho.
Paul is active in serving the legal community and the broader community at large. Paul has served as the past president of the Eagle Rock Inn of Court and is a current officer of the J. Reuben Clark Law Society. Paul has coached youth football for several years and has also done extensive volunteer work for various youth organizations.
Paul was born and raised in Southeastern Idaho. In his spare time, Paul enjoys spending time with his family and enjoying Idaho’s great outdoors.
