Utah Fifth Judicial District
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The Utah Fifth Judicial District Court resides in Utah. Click on the links below to learn more about the court's...
Jurisdiction
This court holds the following jurisdiction:[1]
| “ | The District Court is the state trial court of general jurisdiction. There are 71 full-time district judges serving in the state's eight judicial districts. You can learn more about the judges in each district in the Gallery of Judges. The District Court has original jurisdiction to try all civil cases, all criminal felonies, such as homicides, assaults, sex and drug offenses, forgery, arson, and robbery, and misdemeanors in certain circumstances. An important part of the District Court caseload is domestic relations cases, such as divorces, child custody and support, adoption, and probate. District judges also have the power to issue extraordinary writs. In addition, the Court serves as an appellate court to review informal adjudicative proceedings from administrative agencies.[2] | ” |
Selection method
- See also: Judicial selection in the states
- See also: Assisted appointment
The 70 judges of the district courts are selected in an identical manner. When a vacancy occurs on the court, the governor appoints a replacement from a list of five names recommended by a nominating commission. The nominee then must attain approval from the Utah State Senate.[3][4]
New appointees serve for at least three years, after which they must run in a yes-no retention election. If retained, judges serve subsequent terms of six years.[3]
The chief judge of each district court is selected by peer vote for a two-year term.[3]
Qualifications
To serve on the Utah District Courts, a judge must be:[3]
- a resident of the United States;
- a state resident for at least three years;
- admitted to practice law in the state;
- at least 25 years old; and
- no more than 75 years old.*
*Sitting judges who turn 75 while in office may continue serving until the end of their term, but they are not eligible to run for retention.[5]
Judicial elections in Utah
- See also: Utah judicial elections
Utah is one of six states that use retention elections to determine whether judges should remain on the bench without using another type of election as an initial selection method. To read more about how states use judicial elections to select judges across the country, click here.
Retention election
In retention elections, judges do not compete against another candidate, but voters are given a "yes" or "no" choice whether to keep the justice in office for another term. If the candidate receives more yes votes than no votes, he or she is successfully retained. If not, the candidate is not retained, and there will be a vacancy in that court effective the first Monday in January following the general election.[6]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Utah State Courts, "An Overview of the Utah Juvenile Courts," accessed May 22, 2023
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Utah," archived October 6, 2014
- ↑ American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Utah; Judicial Nominating Commissions," archived January 13, 2014
- ↑ Utah State Legislature, "Judges' mandatory retirement age," 2002
- ↑ Utah Legislature, "Title 20A Chapter 12 Section 201," accessed April 23, 2014
Federal courts:
Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: District of Utah • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: District of Utah
State courts:
Utah Supreme Court • Utah Court of Appeals • Utah District Courts • Utah Juvenile Courts • Utah Justice Courts
State resources:
Courts in Utah • Utah judicial elections • Judicial selection in Utah
