Utah Courts Recent Press Notifications

Randolph, UT—The Rich County Judicial Nominating Commission has scheduled a meeting on Oct. 20, 2016, to select candidates for the Rich County Justice Court to replace Judge Ross McKinnon who will retire effective Jan. 1, 2017. The commission will begin the meeting at 9 a.m. at the Rich County Courthouse, located on 20 South Main Street in Randolph.

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 9 to 9:30 a.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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Park City, UT — Utah State Court Administrator Dan Becker has announced he will be retiring May 1, 2017, after 21 years of service to the Utah State Courts.

Speaking before the Utah Courts’ annual judicial conference in Park City, Utah Supreme Court Chief Justice Matthew B. Durrant said Utah’s judicial system has become widely respected throughout the country for its quality of judges, governance, and administration. “We are fortunate to live and work in a judicial system that is truly a national model,” Durrant said.

The Chief Justice attributed this to three things: quality judges who are chosen through a non-partisan, merit-based process that is as exacting and rigorous as any in the country; Utah’s unique courts governance structure through the Utah Judicial Council; and the 21 years of leadership Becker has provided. “The consensus nationally is that Utah has the best court administrator in the country,” Durrant said.

Becker said he was grateful for the Utah Supreme Court’s confidence in him over the years. “The Supreme Court took a chance when they hired a young man from North Carolina in 1995,” Becker said. “I was honored to be appointed, and even more honored to have had the opportunity to serve so long. Utah has one of the finest court systems in the country, and I’m very proud to have been a part of the very fine work being done every day by our judges and staff.”

“Utah’s court system is the international gold standard,” for state court systems, said Mary C. McQueen, president of the National Center for State Courts.

Utah Governor Gary R. Herbert lauded Becker’s commitment to the Utah courts. “We are better off because of Dan’s 21 years of dedicated service,” Herbert told judges. “Utah’s court system is second to none in the nation, largely because of individuals such as Dan who work with diligence and devotion.”

Becker has served as State Court Administrator at the Administrative Office of the Courts for the State of Utah since 1995. In that capacity, he is responsible to the Utah Supreme Court and Utah Judicial Council for the administration of the state court system. From 1984 to 1995, Becker worked for the North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts serving in the positions of: Deputy Director (1993-1995); Court Services Administrator (1986-1993); and Assistant to the Director (1984-1986). He also held the position of Trial Court Administrator for the Fourteenth Judicial District of North Carolina, and Assistant Director of Operations for the Georgia Administrative Office of the Courts. Becker was the recipient of the 2006 Warren E. Burger Award for Excellence in Judicial Administration, and has been appointed twice by President Barack Obama to the board of directors of the State Justice Institute, and became its acting chair earlier this year. He holds a B.A. and M.P.A. from Florida Atlantic University.

A nationwide search for a new court administrator will be conducted from November to December 2016. Interviews will be conducted by the Utah Judicial Council’s Management Committee, which will select three finalists to send to the Utah Supreme Court Chief Justice, who will select a nominee. By state statute, the nominee must be confirmed upon the concurrence of the Utah Supreme Court.
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Park City, UT — Retired Utah Court of Appeals Judge William A. Thorne Jr. has received the Distinguished Service Award by the National Center for State Courts.

The award was presented to Thorne during the Utah State Courts’ annual judicial conference on Wednesday by Mary C. McQueen, president of the National Center for State Courts (NCSC).

McQueen praised Utah’s judiciary for the quality of its judges. “Utah’s judges don’t retire, they just find new things to do.” In the case of Judge Thorne, “Judge Thorne is a passionate judicial champion for improving outcomes for children and families in the court system. NCSC is fortunate to benefit from the long-standing experience Judge Thorne brings from his 30 years’ experience as a state court trial judge, tribal judge, and state court appellate judge.”

Thorne has been nationally recognized for his work in helping to establish improved guidelines for judges across the country for children in foster care. McQueen said Thorne has accomplished this by encouraging judges to focus on the relationships surrounding the foster child rather than just removal and safety.

Thorne thanked the national center for the honor, and thanked his fellow judges in Utah for their support over the years.

Thorne was appointed to the Utah Court of Appeals in May 2000 by Gov. Michael O. Leavitt and served on the appellate court until his retirement in 2013. He was a judge in the Third Circuit Court for eight years, and served in the Third District Court for six years.

He received a B.A. from the University of Santa Clara in 1974 and a J.D. from Stanford Law School in 1977. Thorne has served as a tribal court judge in Utah, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, Wisconsin, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Michigan. He is the former president of the National Indian Justice Center (a nonprofit that trains tribal court personnel around the country), and a member of the Board of Directors for National CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates, a nonprofit group that provides volunteer representation for abused and neglected children in court). He has also served as a member of the Board of Directors for the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute (a nonprofit seeking to improve the level of research and practice related to adoptions), and a member of the ABA Steering Committee on the Unmet Legal Needs of Children. He is a former member of the Utah Judicial Council, the Board of Circuit Court Judges, and the Board of Directors for the National Indian Court Judge’s Association, among many other public service positions.

NCSC presents six Distinguished Service awards annually to those who have made significant contributions to the court system and to the work of the NCSC. The awards recognize one person from each of the following categories: current of former state appellate judge; current of former state trial judge; state-level court administrator or employee; trial-level court administrator or employee; attorney or other individual not employed by the courts; and current or former international judge or court executive.

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Ogden, UT—Applications are being accepted for a Justice Court judge position in Ogden. The position will replace Judge Andrea W. Lockwood who will retire effective March 1, 2017.

To be considered for a Justice Court judgeship in Weber 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, 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 Courts’ website at legacy.utcourts.gov under employment opportunities. An application for judicial office form must be completed and is available on the courts’ website. Please note that the application has been updated since June 2016. The annual salary range for the position is $79,525.00 to $143,145.00 with benefits. For additional information, contact Heidi Olmedo at (801)629-8737.

The deadline for applications is Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016 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 or visit legacy.utcourts.gov/admin/jobs.

Utah law requires the Judicial Nominating Commission to submit three to five nominees to the Mayor of Ogden, Mike Caldwell, within 45 days of its first meeting. Mayor Caldwell 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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Randolph, UT— The deadline for applications has been extended for a Justice Court judge position in Rich County. The position will replace Judge Ross McKinnon who will retire effective Jan. 1, 2017.

To be considered for a Justice Court judgeship in Rich 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 Courts’ website at legacy.utcourts.gov. An application for judicial office form must be completed and is available on the courts’ website (legacy.utcourts.gov/admin/jobs). Please note that the application has been updated since June 2016. The annual salary range for the position is $8,000.00 to $12,000.00 with some benefits. For additional information, contact Becky Peart at (435)793-2415.

The extended deadline for applications is Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2016 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 Rich County Commission Chair, William Cox, within 45 days of its first meeting. Chairman Cox 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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South Jordan, UT—The Salt Lake County Nominating Commission has selected four nominees for an upcoming vacancy in the South Jordan City Justice Court. The position will replace Judge Clinton Balmforth, who will retire effective Jan. 2, 2017.

Following are the nominees followed by place of employment and residence:
• Michael Peter Boehm, J.D., Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office, resident of South Jordan
• Edward R. Montgomery, J.D., South Jordan City Prosecutor, resident of Draper
• Katherine Peters J.D., Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office, resident of Salt Lake City
• George Vo-Duc J.D., Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office, resident of Bountiful
A comment period will be held through Oct. 11, 2016, before a final candidate is selected by South Jordan City Mayor David L. Alvord, who has 30 days to make an appointment. The appointment is subject to ratification by the South Jordan City Council. The Utah Judicial Council must then certify the appointment. To submit written comments about the candidates, contact Melisse Stiglich, Administrative Office of the Courts, at melisses@utcourts.gov.
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South Salt Lake, UT—The Salt Lake County Nominating Commission has selected five nominees for an upcoming vacancy in the South Salt Lake Justice Court. The position will replace Judge Catherine M. Johnson, who will retire effective Jan. 1, 2017.

Following are the nominees followed by place of employment and residence:
• Gretchen Johns, J.D., Office of Guardian ad Litem, resident of South Jordan
• Katherine Peters J.D., Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office, resident of Salt Lake City
• Scott Reed J.D., Utah Attorney General’s Office, resident of West Jordan
• Anna Lisa Rossi Anderson, J.D., Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office, resident of Salt Lake City
• George Vo-Duc J.D., Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office, resident of Bountiful
A comment period will be held through Oct. 11, 2016, before a final candidate is selected by South Salt Lake City Mayor Cherie Wood, who has 30 days to make an appointment. The appointment is subject to ratification by the South Salt lake City Council. The Utah Judicial Council must then certify the appointment. To submit written comments about the candidates, contact Melisse Stiglich, Administrative Office of the Courts, at melisses@utcourts.gov.
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Midvale, UT—The Salt Lake County Nominating Commission has selected four nominees for an upcoming vacancy in the Midvale City Justice Court. The position will replace Judge Ronald Wolthuis, who will retire effective Jan. 1, 2017.

Following are the nominees followed by place of employment and residence:
• Michael Peter Boehm, J.D., Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office, resident of South Jordan
• Edward R. Montgomery, J.D., South Jordan City Prosecutor, resident of Draper
• Katherine Peters J.D., Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office, resident of Salt Lake City
• George Vo-Duc J.D., Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office, resident of Bountiful
A comment period will be held through Oct. 11, 2016, before a final candidate is selected by Midvale City Mayor JoAnn B. Seghini, who has 30 days to make an appointment. The appointment is subject to ratification by the Midvale City Council. The Utah Judicial Council must then certify the appointment. To submit written comments about the candidates, contact Melisse Stiglich, Administrative Office of the Courts, at melisses@utcourts.gov.
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Washington City, UT—Applications are being accepted for a Justice Court judge position in Washington City. The position will replace Judge Lee Bunnell who will retire effective Jan. 1, 2017.

To be considered for a Justice Court judgeship in Washington 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, 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 under employment opportunities. An application for judicial office form must be completed and is available on the courts’ website. Please note that the application has been updated since June 2016. The annual salary for the position is $39,741.00. Benefits are not provided. For additional information, contact Ruth Holyoak at (435)656-6315 or by email at rholyoak@washingtoncity.org.

The deadline for applications is Friday, Oct. 14, 2016 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 or visit legacy.utcourts.gov/admin/jobs.

Utah law requires the Judicial Nominating Commission to submit three to five nominees to the Mayor of Washington City, Ken Neilson, within 45 days of its first meeting. Mayor Neilson 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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Sunset, UT—The Davis County Nominating Commission has selected four nominees for an upcoming vacancy in the Sunset City Justice Court. The position will replace Judge Jerald Jensen, who will retire effective Jan. 1, 2017.

Following are the nominees followed by place of employment and residence:
• Steven Richard Bailey, J.D., Attorney at Law & Bankruptcy Trustee, resident of Layton
• Honorable Brian E. Brower, J.D., Clearfield City Justice Court Judge, resident of West Point
• John E. Diaz, J.D., The Diaz Law Firm, resident of Bountiful
• Paul H. Olds, J.D., Attorney at Law, resident of Pleasant View

A comment period will be held through Sept. 26, 2016, before a final candidate is selected by the Sunset City Mayor Beverly MacFarlane, who has 30 days to make an appointment. The appointment is subject to ratification by the Sunset City Council. The Utah Judicial Council must then certify the appointment. To submit written comments about the candidates, contact Melisse Stiglich, Administrative Office of the Courts, melisses@utcourts.gov.
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