Judge Vernice S. Trease was appointed to the Third District Court in November 2006 by Gov. Jon M. Huntsman, Jr. She serves Salt Lake, Summit and Tooele counties. Judge Trease graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations from Lewis and Clark College and received a law degree from the University Of Utah College Of Law in 1988. Prior to her appointment to the bench, Judge Trease served the community of Salt Lake County as a trial attorney, capital qualified attorney, and assistant director with the Salt Lake Legal Defender Assoc. Judge Trease has served on several committees including the Utah Commission on Racial and Ethnic Fairness in Criminal and Juvenile Justice System, and the State of Utah Office on Domestic and Sexual Violence Domestic Violence Justice Planning Group, Judicial Council's Fine and Bail Schedule Standing Committee, Supreme Courts Indigent Criminal Defense Task Force and as chairperson of the Judicial Councils Court Interpreter Standing Committee. She is currently a member of the Supreme Courts Advisory Committees on the Rules of Criminal Procedure and the Rules of Evidence, Utah Center for Legal Inclusion, Utah Sentencing Commission, and Utah Substance Use and Mental Health Advisory Council. Judge Trease is the recipient of several awards including the Women Lawyers of Utah Woman Lawyer of the Year, the Women Lawyers of Utah Mentor Award given and the Utah Minority Bar Association Community Service Award. Judge Trease also presides over one of two Mental Health Courts in the Third District.2/17