Utah Courts Recent Press Notifications

Duchesne County, Utah—Applications are being accepted for a part-time justice court judge position that will serve Duchesne County, Utah. The successful candidate will replace Judge E. Jed Labrum following his resignation.

To be considered for a justice court judgeship in Duchesne County, candidates must be at least 25 years of age, a citizen of the United States, a Utah resident for at least three years, and have a degree from a law school that would make one eligible to apply for admission to a bar in any state in the United States. In addition, applicants must be a resident of Duchesne County or an adjacent county either upon appointment or before taking the bench.

An application for judicial office must be completed online at justicecourtvacancies.utah.gov before the deadline. The minimum salary for the position is $40,905 and does not include benefits.  For additional information about working for Duchesne County, contact Tommi Mascaro by phone at (435) 738-1232 or by email at tmascaro@duchesne.utah.gov.

The deadline for applications is Friday, September 18, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Applications cannot be submitted after the deadline. For questions about the justice courts or the process for filling this position, email Jim Peters, Justice Court Administrator, at jamesp@utcourts.gov.

Utah law requires the Duchesne County Justice Court Nominating Commission to submit at least three nominees to Commissioner Greg Miles, chair of the Duchesne County Commission, within 45 days of its first meeting. He will then have 30 days in which to make a selection. His selection must  then be ratified by the Duchesne County Commission and certified by the Utah Judicial Council.

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Salt Lake City, Utah—The Judicial Nominating Commission for Salt Lake City has selected five nominees for a justice court judge position that will serve Salt Lake City, Utah. The successful candidate will fill a new position recently approved by the Utah Judicial Council.

Following is an alphabetical listing of the nominees followed by place of employment and city of residence:

• Mike Boehm, J.D., Attorney at Law, resident of South Jordan,
• Paul C. Farr, J.D., Attorney at Law and Justice Court Judge in Alta and Sandy, resident of Herriman,
• J. Mason Kjar, J.D., Attorney at Law, resident of Centerville,
• Nick Stiles, J.D., Attorney at Law, resident of Salt Lake City, and
• Jaime Topham, J.D., Attorney at Law and Justice Court Judge in Grantsville, resident of Grantsville.

A comment period will be held through August 16, 2026. Once application materials are provided to Mayor Mendenhall, she will have 30 days to make a final selection. Her decision must then be ratified by the Salt Lake City Council and certified by the Utah Judicial Council. To submit written comments about any of the candidates, please email James Peters, Justice Court  Administrator, at jamesp@utcourts.gov.

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Salt Lake City, Utah—The Judicial Nominating Commission for Salt Lake City has scheduled a  meeting on June 26, 2026 to review applications for a justice court judge position that will serve Salt  Lake City, Utah. The successful candidate will fill a new position recently approved by the Utah  Judicial Council. The Commission will begin the meeting at 8:00 a.m. in the Matheson Courthouse,  which is located at 450 South State Street in Salt Lake City, Utah. 

The early portion of the meeting is scheduled for public comment about issues facing the Utah  judiciary and improvements to the system. Public comments will be accepted from 9:00 a.m. to  9:30 a.m. Following the public comment period, the meeting will be closed to allow commission members to review applications for the vacancy. 

Individuals interested in submitting oral or written commentary to the commission during the public  comment portion of the meeting must contact Jim Peters at (801) 578-3824 or jamesp@utcourts.gov to request an appointment.  

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Salt Lake City, Utah — The Third District Criminal Commissioner Nominating Committee submits the following names for public comment: Melissa Stirba, Breanne Miller, Paul Farr.  Anyone wishing to make a comment regarding the following in relation to the potential appointment of the Criminal Commissioner position may do so within the next 10 days by sending an email to markp@utcourts.gov.

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Orem, Utah—Applications are being accepted for a full-time justice court judge position that will serve Orem, Utah. The successful candidate will replace Judge Reed Parkin who will retire at the end of the year.

To be considered for a justice court judgeship in Utah County, candidates must be at least 25 years of age, a citizen of the United States, a Utah resident for at least three years, and have a degree from a law school that would make one eligible to apply for admission to a bar in any state in the United States. In addition, applicants must be a resident of Utah County or an adjacent county either upon appointment or before taking the bench.

To apply, an application for judicial office must be completed online at https://justicecourtvacancies.utah.gov/ before the deadline. The salary for the position is $157,325 per year and includes benefits. For additional information about working for the City of Orem, call Keri Rugg, Deputy City Manager, at (801) 229-7164 or send an email to hr@orem.gov.

The deadline for applications is Friday, July 17, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Applications cannot be submitted after the deadline. For questions about the justice courts or the process for filling this position, email Jim Peters, Justice Court Administrator, at jamesp@utcourts.gov.

Utah law requires the Judicial Nominating Commission to submit at least three nominees to Brenn Bybee, City Manager for the City of Orem, within 45 days of its first meeting. Mr. Bybee will then have 30 days in which to select a finalist. His selection must then be ratified by the Orem City Council and certified by the Utah Judicial Council.

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Salt Lake City, Utah—Applications are being accepted for a justice court judge pro tempore who will assist with small claims cases at the Salt Lake City Justice Court. Judges pro tempore serve at the will of the Utah Supreme Court, but generally the term is renewable every two years. Judges pro tempore serve without compensation.

To be considered for this position, candidates must be at least 25 years of age, a citizen of the United States, a Utah resident for at least three years, and have been admitted to the practice of law in Utah for a minimum of four years.

To apply, contact Dee Dee Sonntag at (801) 578-3820 or by email at deedees@utcourts.gov to request an application. For scheduling and other court-specific information, contact Tammy Shelton  at tammys@utcourts.gov.

The deadline for applications is Friday, June 12, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. and should be emailed to deedees@utcourts.gov. If appointed, a judge pro tempore must complete at least three hours of small claims education annually, including a small claims orientation program immediately following appointment.

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Richfield, Utah— The Utah Judiciary invites Sevier, Sanpete, Piute, Wayne, Garfield, and Kane County residents to attend a Court Connect town hall on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, from 6:00-7:30 p.m. at the Sixth District Courthouse in Richfield.

Court Connect is a statewide initiative aimed at strengthening public trust in the courts, expanding access to justice, and increasing awareness of court resources and services. This free, public event offers community members a chance to engage directly with Judiciary representatives in an informal, welcoming setting.

These town halls are designed to open doors and build stronger connections between the courts and the communities they serve. They offer the public an opportunity to learn more about the role of the Judiciary, how the courts operate, and how the judicial branch fits into the broader system of government.

What to Expect: 

Attendees will have the opportunity to:

● Better understand the role of the courts in Utah’s justice system

● Ask questions and connect directly with Judiciary representatives

● Discover how to access justice services, including self-help resources and online filing systems

● Learn about court resources available in their community

● Meet judges and court personnel in a less formal setting

These town halls mark the first step in an ongoing effort to create opportunities for the public and community partners to engage directly with the Judiciary. Court Connect events are open to everyone – individual community members, civic organizations, and anyone interested in learning more about Utah’s Judiciary.

Event Details: 

● What: Court Connect Town Hall

● When: Tuesday, May 19, 2026, 6:00-7:30 p.m.

● Where: Sixth District Courthouse, 845 East 300 North, Richfield, UT 84701

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