Utah
Utah’s highest court is the Utah Supreme Court. The court has three justices, one associate chief justice, and one chief justice, who is chosen by majority vote of the members of the court for four-year terms. (Source: Utah Constitution)
Judicial Selection
The governor nominates a Utah Supreme Court justice from a list provided by a judicial nominating commission. The nominee must be confirmed by a majority of the state senate. After at least three years on the court, a justice may stand for a 10-year term in an unopposed yes/no retention vote at the time of Utah’s next general election. Justices may seek additional terms in the same retention process. To fill an interim vacancy, the governor nominates a candidate from a list provided by a judicial nominating commission. The nominee must be confirmed by a majority of the state senate. There are no term limits. The mandatory retirement age is 75.
State Constitution
Utah’s first and only state constitution was adopted in 1895. As of January 1, 2022, it had 129 amendments. (Source: Council of State Governments)
Filters
The Active Environmental Agendas of State Attorneys General
The U.S. Supreme Court this week paved the way for Democratic attorneys general to proceed with suits against fossil fuel companies under state law.
New State Hurdles to Standing Threaten Abortion Ban Challenges
Georgia’s Supreme Court sent a challenge to the state’s abortion ban back to the trial court to consider if the plaintiffs, including medical providers, had standing to bring the suit.
Executive Orders and Threatened Cuts Challenge Public Education and the Courts
Education rights expert Joshua Weishart discusses the effects of Trump’s education policy changes and how states are pushing back.
The Utah Constitution Is ‘Distinctively Undistinctive’
The original charter sought to limit the influence of the state’s distinct religious history.
State Constitutional Resources We Love
For those who want to know more about state constitutions, a compilation of tools including case databases, interactive maps, and more.
Fifty Unique, Ever-Changing State Constitutions
A new resource from the State Democracy Research Initiative makes the current text of all 50 state constitutions available and searchable on one site.
What the SCOTUS Term Means for State Courts
Some of the Court’s most important holdings — including on abortion, gun restrictions, and presidential immunity — have implications for state courts and constitutions.
Using State Constitutional Protections to Improve Life Behind Bars
Rulings in Oregon and Utah offer a road map for other state courts.