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
Multiple High Courts Uphold Voters’ Right to Use Ballot Measures to Change Law
Decisions in California, Michigan, and Utah could serve as models for courts in other states facing power struggles between legislatures and proponents of voter-approved ballot initiatives.
Direct Democracy Under Attack
Courts in Utah and Michigan recently blocked legislative assaults on the ballot initiative process.
Scholarship Roundup: September 2024 Back to School Edition
New articles and books cover a wide range of topics related to state constitutions, judiciaries, state-level democracy, and more.
States Grapple with Problematic Rule from Federal Voting Cases
The Purcell principle, which holds that federal courts should not change voting rules too close to an election, is increasingly being raised in state litigation.
Advice for Law Students From State Supreme Court Justices
As the school year kicks off, eight justices reflect on what they wish someone had told them when they were in law school.
How Candidates Get on the Presidential Ballot
For third parties and independent candidates, ballot qualification is often a difficult journey.
An Eventful Summer for State Constitutional Abortion Rights Litigation
State supreme courts addressed abortion rights head on, even as the U.S. Supreme Court punted on similar questions.
The Right to Petition in State Constitutions, Explained
Some states protect citizens’ right to make requests of or complaints against the government more broadly than the federal Constitution.