Utah

• Utah Supreme Court
• Utah Appellate Courts Judicial Nominating Commission

• 8 members:
  • 7 appointed by the Governor
    • No more than 4 lawyers
    • 2 lawyers must be from a list of 6 lawyers submitted by the Utah state bar
  • 1 member appointed by the Chief Justice from the Utah Judicial Council to serve as non-voting member

Terms: 4 years (non-staggered)

• Commission submits a list of at least three nominees from which the Governor must choose one.
• The Governor’s choice is subject to the approval of a majority of all the members of the Senate.
• At the end of a Justice’s term, the Justice will be subject to a statewide retention election and will continue for another term if the Justice is retained.

Interim Vacancies

• When a vacancy occurs in a court of record, the Governor shall fill the vacancy by appointment from a list of at least three nominees certified to the Governor by the Judicial Nominating Commission having authority over the vacancy.
• The Governor shall fill the vacancy within 30 days after receiving the list of nominees. If the governor fails to fill the vacancy within the time prescribed, the chief justice of the Supreme Court shall within 20 days make the appointment from the list of nominees.

• Utah CONST. art. VIII § 8
• Utah CONST. art. VIII § 9
• Utah Code Ann. Title 78A, Chapter 10