Utah Supreme Court Announces Twelve Nominees for Two Newly Created Vacancies
Why It Matters
The composition of the Utah Supreme Court is set to change significantly following the announcement of twelve nominees for two newly created vacancies. The appointments will shape how the state’s highest court interprets Utah law on matters ranging from criminal appeals to constitutional questions, affecting residents and legal practitioners across the state.
The nominations come at a time when state supreme courts are facing increased scrutiny nationwide, with judicial decisions on contentious social and legal issues drawing fresh legislative responses across the country.
What Happened
The Appellate Judicial Nominating Commission released the list of nominees on May 1, 2026, identifying twelve candidates under consideration for the two Utah Supreme Court seats. The vacancies were created by the Utah Legislature during the 2026 Legislative Session.
The twelve nominees represent a broad cross-section of Utah’s legal community, including sitting district and appellate court judges, prosecutors, and attorneys in private and institutional practice. The Nominating Commission is now accepting public comment on the candidates before forwarding names to the governor.
The Nominees
The full list of nominees announced by the Appellate Judicial Nominating Commission includes:
Christopher Ballard, General Counsel and Chief of Staff, Utah County Attorney’s Office; Christopher Bates, Shareholder, Kirton McConkie; Matthew Bates, Judge, Third District Court; Matthew Bell, Judge, Fifth District Court; Samuel Chiara, Judge, Eighth District Court; Stephen Dent, Assistant United States Attorney, United States Attorney’s Office; William Hains, Deputy Division Director, Criminal Appeals, Office of the Attorney General; Jay Jorgensen, Senior Counsel, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints; Derek Pullan, Judge, Fourth District Court; Stanford Purser, Solicitor General, Office of the Attorney General; Eldred Rawson, Judge, Second District Court; and Ryan Tenney, Judge, Utah Court of Appeals.
By the Numbers
2 — Supreme Court vacancies created by the Utah Legislature during the 2026 session.
12 — Total nominees announced by the Appellate Judicial Nominating Commission.
May 10, 2026 — Deadline, at noon, for the public to submit written comments on the nominees.
30 days — The window Governor Spencer J. Cox will have to make his appointments after receiving the finalist names from the Commission.
Utah Senate confirmation — Required for any nominee selected by Governor Cox before they can assume a seat on the court.
Zoom Out
The expansion of state supreme court seats through legislative action is not unique to Utah. Across the country, state legislatures have used a variety of mechanisms — including seat creation, merit-selection reforms, and appointment restructuring — to influence the composition of their highest courts.
State-level judicial appointments have taken on heightened importance as federal courts continue to issue consequential rulings on redistricting, civil liberties, and law enforcement authority. Recent Supreme Court redistricting decisions have already forced legislative adjustments in states like Louisiana, underscoring how critical the makeup of judicial bodies at every level has become.
Utah’s merit-selection process, which routes nominees through an independent nominating commission before sending finalists to the governor, is considered one of the more structured judicial appointment systems in the country. It is designed to balance professional accountability with executive appointment authority.
What’s Next
The Appellate Judicial Nominating Commission will accept written public comments through noon on May 10, 2026. Comments may be submitted by email or by mail to the Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice in Salt Lake City.
Following the public comment period, the Commission may conduct additional review or investigation of the nominees before forwarding its recommendations to Governor Spencer J. Cox. The governor will then have 30 days to select his two appointees from the list. Those appointees will subsequently face a confirmation vote in the Utah Senate before taking their seats on the state’s highest court.