COURTS & LEGAL

Utah voters flock to website evaluating judge performance

Oct 23, 2024, 12:03 PM | Updated: 12:09 pm

(File)...

(File)

(File)

SALT LAKE CITY — Traffic rose 58% compared to the last election cycle for a website offering judge performance evaluations in Utah, according to the non-partisan commission that runs the site.

Where to go: The Utah Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission

The Utah Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission (JPEC) provides a snapshot of the performance of each judge on the ballot. While voters do not elect judges in Utah, the decision to keep them on the bench rests with Utah voters.

“Most citizens, most voters don’t spend time in court. So it’s hard for them to have firsthand information on a judge,” said Mary-Margaret Pingree, executive director of JPEC. “We want voters to feel like there’s a place they can turn for unbiased information about judges.”

Two years ago, JPEC rolled out a revamped site version, making it easier to navigate. At the time, the commission told KSL about 23% of Utah voters leave their ballots unfinished. Now, voters can search for a judge by name or look up the judges on their ballot by county using the website.

Back in 2022, looking just at the first couple of days since mail-in ballots went out, JPEC recorded 19,276 visits. This year, the site recorded 30,515 visits.

How judge performance evaluations work in Utah

The legislature established JPEC in 2008. It comprises 13 members, appointed by all three branches of government, with safeguards in place to prevent one party from dominating the discussion.

Pingree said evaluations are performed “blind,” meaning the commissioners don’t know the name, race, or other identifying information about a Utah judge before assessing their performance. They evaluate each judge based on measures including their integrity, administrative skills, procedural fairness and legal ability. Each judge is scored on a 1 to 5 scale; they must score a minimum of 3.6 average in order to get a favorable recommendation from the commission.

Those evaluations come after a fairly rigorous process. JPEC relies on trained volunteers who observe each judge in action to help gather data for their reviews. They also survey stakeholders, including attorneys, jurors and other court employees, about each judge.

On the website, the initial search leads users to that favorable recommendation, but clicking on a judge’s name yields more details about their individual evaluation. It details how the judge scored on that 1 to 5 scale compared to their peers as well as the minimum. You can also see a breakdown of how many commissioners approved the rating as well as what the survey results concluded.

KSL 5 TV Live

Courts & Legal

Elon Musk speaks before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at a campaign...

Maryclaire Dale, Associated Press

Elon Musk’s $1 million-a-day voter sweepstakes can proceed, a Pennsylvania judge says

A Pennsylvania judge has ruled that Elon Musk’s $1 million-a-day voter sweepstakes can continue through Tuesday’s presidential election.

24 hours ago

FILE — Smith's Food and Grocery pictured in Utah. (Deseret News)...

Mary Culbertson

Utah to receive $45 million from Kroger for its role in opioid crisis. Here’s how it will be spent

The state of Utah is expected to receive $45 million of a $1.37 billion settlement with Kroger, a grocery chain known widely in the state as Smith's Food and Drug.

1 day ago

Supervisor Andrew Do, right, listens to Supervisor Todd Spitzer, left, during questioning of Orange...

Amy Taxin, Associated Press

Southern California county official pleads guilty to bribery charge in COVID funds scheme

A high-ranking elected official in California’s Orange County has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery in a far-reaching scheme that misused COVID-19 relief funds aimed at helping the elderly.

5 days ago

front doors and a plaque...

Alexander Campbell and Mary Culbertson, KSL TV

Wife and mother-in-law of deceased American Fork man arrested, accused of conspiring to murder him

American Fork police have released new information in a July murder case, including two arrests and official charges for conspiracy to commit murder.

7 days ago

beehive logo...

Alexander Campbell

Traffic stop leads to discovery of 80 pounds of weed, thousands of pills

What started off as a typical traffic stop turned out to be anything but when a trooper discovered a drug trafficking attempt.

7 days ago

Richfield police took one person into custody on Wednesday, July 3, 2024, following a pursuit. (Ric...

Alexander Campbell

Man arrested for terrorist threats in Richfield

A man was arrested in Richfield after making terroristic threats on Monday, according to a bookings affidavit.

7 days ago

Sponsored Articles

abstract vector digital social network technology background...

Les Olson

Protecting yourself against social engineering attacks

Learn more about the common types of social engineering to protect your online or offline assets from an attack.

family having fun at home...

Lighting Design

Discover the impact of lighting on your mood

From color temperature to lighting saturation, we tackle how different lighting design setups can impact your day-to-day mood.

Laptops in a modern technology store. Department of computers in the electronics store. Choosing a ...

PC Laptops

How to choose the best laptop for college students

Finding the right laptop for college students can be hard, but with this guide we break down what to look for so you can find the best one.

young male technician is repairing a printer at office...

Les Olson

Unraveling the dilemma between leasing and buying office technology

Carefully weigh these pros and cons to make an informed decision that best suits your business growth and day-to-day operation. 

A kitchen in a modern farmhouse....

Lighting Design

A room-by-room lighting guide for your home

Bookmark this room-by-room lighting guide whenever you decide to upgrade your lighting or style a new home.

Photo courtesy of Artists of Ballet West...

Ballet West

The rising demand for ballet tickets: why they’re harder to get

Ballet West’s box office is experiencing demand they’ve never seen before, leaving many interested patrons unable to secure tickets they want.

Utah voters flock to website evaluating judge performance