Month: May 2018

Salt Lake City, UT¬—The Utah State Courts would like to warn the public about reports of a recent phone scam.
Scammers have been “spoofing” the main phone line for the Utah Court of Appeals (801-578-3900) in their caller ID return. Spoofing refers to when an unrelated phone number is used for caller ID to mask the caller’s identity.
The scammers are identifying themselves as federal agents with the FBI and telling people that they owe money and must pay or they will be arrested. The Utah State Courts is a state government entity and has nothing to do with the FBI.
The Utah State Courts is advising the public to contact their local law enforcement agency if you have received one of these calls.
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Snowbird, UT—Fourth District Juvenile Judge Mary T. Noonan was presented with the Scott M. Matheson Award on Thursday during the 39th Annual Promising Youth Conference.

The conference is an interagency gathering of professionals from education, the courts, human services, juvenile justice, and other public/private organizations who all deal with at-risk and under-resourced youth who are experiencing educational, legal, behavioral, and/or mental health challenges.

Judge Noonan was recognized for her many years of dedication to public service and more specifically to bringing a positive energy to the youth in her court.

Judge Noonan did not set out to become a judge. After working as a social worker in inner-city Boston, she came to Utah where she earned her law degree from the S.J. Quinney College of Law and Master of Public Administration from the University of Utah. She practiced law for several years before serving as Director of the Utah Division of Child and Family Services and as Director of the Office of Legal Counsel for the Department of Human Services. Noonan served as Division Director of the Utah Attorney General’s Office Child Protection Division, and as section chief of the Southern Division for the same office. In 2003, after being encouraged by a judge to apply, she was appointed to the Fourth District Juvenile Court bench by Governor Michael O. Leavitt.

Judge Noonan is widely known for building bridges between the Juvenile Court and schools. She organized the Child Welfare Interdisciplinary Council in the Fourth District, as well as night court to ease the burden on parents who had to miss work for frequent court hearings.

“Judge Mary Noonan is a rare example of one who has devoted her professional life to bettering the lives of children,” said Utah State Courts Administrator Richard Schwermer. “Both at the Department of Human Services and as a Juvenile Court Judge, she strived to innovate on behalf of children and their families. One example is her experimentation with a late afternoon and night calendar, designed to make it easier for students to both attend school and court hearings, and to make it easier for parents to appear with their children. Her unique energy and her enthusiasm and advocacy for children are why she is so deserving of this important recognition.”

Judge Noonan has announced that she will retire in July.

Photo caption: Fourth District Juvenile Judge Mary T. Noonan was presented the Scott M. Matheson Award by former Utah Court of Appeals, and former juvenile judge, Regnal W. Garff on Thursday during the 39th Annual Promising Youth Conference.

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Blanding, UT—The San Juan County Judicial Nominating Commission has scheduled a meeting on June 11, 2018, to select candidates for the vacancy in the Blanding City Justice Court to replace Judge William Walker who resigned Jan. 31, 2018. The commission will begin the meeting at 12 p.m. in the Blanding City Council Room located on 50 West 100 South, Blanding.

The early portion of the meeting is scheduled for public comment about issues facing the Utah judiciary and refinements or improvements to the system. Public comments will be accepted from 12 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. Following the public hearing, the meeting is closed to allow commission members to select a slate of three to five candidates for the vacancy.

Individuals interested in appearing before the commission during the public comment portion of the meeting should contact Melisse Stiglich at (801) 578-3844 to request an appointment. Information on the Justice Court Nominating Commission members is available at legacy.utcourts.gov.

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Salt Lake City, UT—The Utah Judicial Council is seeking public comment on a court commissioner up for retention for a four-year term, as required by Utah Code of Judicial Administration Rule 3-201. Individuals who wish to comment on the court commissioner are encouraged, but not required, to provide their names and contact information. The comment period closes on May 31, 2018.

The court commissioner up for retention is:

Commissioner Michelle Tack
Third District Court

Comments on Commissioner Tack should be submitted to Peyton Smith at peytons@utcourts.gov, or by mail at P.O. Box 1860, Salt Lake City, UT 84114-1860.

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Blanding, Utah— The deadline for applications for a Justice Court judge position in Blanding City has been extended. The position will replace Judge William Walker who resigned Jan. 31, 2018.

To be considered for a Justice Court judgeship in San Juan 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 minimum of a high school diploma or GED. In addition, candidates must be a resident of the county in which the court is located—or an adjacent county—for at least six months.

Information on judicial retention and performance evaluation is posted on the Utah State Court’s website at legacy.utcourts.gov. An application for judicial office must be completed and is available on the court’s website (legacy.utcourts.gov/admin/jobs). The annual salary range for the position is $12,742.00 to $13,010.00. Benefits may or may not be provided; for additional information contact Jeremy Redd at (435) 250-3485, or email at jredd@blanding-ut.gov.

The deadline for applications is Friday, May 18, 2018 at 5 p.m. and should be sent to the attention of Melisse Stiglich, Administrative Office of the Courts, P.O. Box 140241, Salt Lake City, UT, 84114-0241. For an application or more information, email melisses@utcourts.gov.

Utah law requires the Judicial Nominating Commission to submit three to five nominees to the Mayor of Blanding, Joe B. Lyman, within 45 days of its first meeting. Mayor Lyman then has 30 days in which to make a selection. The selection must then be certified by the Utah Judicial Council.

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Salt Lake City — The Utah State Bar has awarded the 2018 Liberty Bell Award to the Divorce Education for Children program for its work with children coping in divorce or separation situations.
The award was presented by the Bar’s Young Lawyers Division to the Utah State Courts during its annual Law Day event last Monday.
Divorce Education for Children is a free class for children 9 to 12 whose parents are separated, divorcing, or divorced. The one-time class teaches children coping tools they can use to express their feelings to parents, and lets them know that the divorce is not their fault. The class is held in a court environment where they get to meet a judge or commissioner in order to demystify court, where their parents may be spending time. The 2-hour class is taught by a mental health professional and is currently offered in Logan, Ogden, Salt Lake, and Provo. For more information, visit: (https://legacy.utcourts.gov/specproj/dived/children.html).
The program was started by the late Utah Commissioner Mike Evans, in an effort to help children coping with divorce.
“We are very honored to receive this award and grateful to the volunteer judges, commissioners and community partners who have come together for the benefit of these kids,” said Third District Judge Elizabeth Hruby-Mills, who chairs the committee which oversees the program.
“We are proud to be the recipient of the Utah State Bar’s Liberty Bell Award and we appreciate the Bar’s recognition of the important mission of the program, which is to empower children by providing them tools that will enhance their social and emotional well-being,” said Third District Judge Laura Scott, who chairs the program’s advisory subcommittee.
The Liberty Bell Award is given to a community member or organization for their contribution to a better understanding and appreciation of the American justice system.

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