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<leg xml:space="preserve" billnum="SB0057" sponsor="Todd Weiler" designation="SB" otherSponsor="" otherHouse="House" sess="2026GS" fileno="2026FL0219" date="12/29/2025 15:12:610" printDate="12-29 15:14" subVer="0" minVer="0" office="LEGISLATIVE GENERAL COUNSEL" actionDate="" impact="code"><info><nextbuid>5</nextbuid><aminfo anum="0" effdate="05/06/2026"><seclist><sect action="A" src="code" buid="1" uid="C78A-1-S103_2026050620260506" fromuid="C78A-1-S103_2024050120240501" sort="78A01 01030020260506" mtype="section" effdate="05/06/2026">78A-1-103</sect><sect action="A" src="code" buid="2" uid="C78A-1-S104_2026050620260506" fromuid="C78A-1-S104_2024050120240501" sort="78A01 01040020260506" mtype="section" effdate="05/06/2026">78A-1-104</sect><sect action="A" src="code" buid="3" uid="C78A-4-S102_2026050620260506" fromuid="C78A-4-S102_2022050420220504" sort="78A04 01020020260506" mtype="section" effdate="05/06/2026">78A-4-102</sect><sect src="uncod" untype="effdate" buid="4" uid="EF0000" sort="UZEFF" mtype="uncod" effdate="05/06/2026"/></seclist></aminfo></info><tbox><sinfo><nextpairid>0</nextpairid></sinfo><st numlevel="1" lineno="1" slineno="0-1">Judicial Officer Amendments</st><sessionhead>2026 GENERAL SESSION</sessionhead><statehead>STATE OF UTAH</statehead><sponsorhead>Chief Sponsor: Todd Weiler</sponsorhead><otherSponsorhead>House Sponsor: </otherSponsorhead></tbox><lt numlevel="1" lineno="2" slineno="0-2"><lthead lineno="3">LONG TITLE</lthead><gdhead lineno="4">General Description:</gdhead><gd numlevel="1" lineno="5" slineno="0-5">This bill increases the number of judges.</gd><hphead lineno="6">Highlighted Provisions:</hphead><hp numlevel="1" lineno="7" slineno="0-7">This bill:<hl numlevel="1" lineno="8" slineno="0-8" level="1">increases the number of judges for the district court, the juvenile court, and the Court of <ln numlevel="1" lineno="9" slineno="0-9"/>Appeals.</hl></hp><moni numlevel="1" lineno="10" slineno="0-10" display="none">Money Appropriated in this Bill:</moni><moniNone lineno="11">None</moniNone><oc numlevel="1" lineno="12" slineno="0-12">Other Special Clauses:</oc><ocNone lineno="13">None</ocNone><sa numlevel="1" lineno="14" slineno="0-14">Utah Code Sections Affected:<saamd numlevel="1" lineno="15" slineno="0-15"><snhead>AMENDS:</snhead><sn num="78A-1-103" src="code" uid="C78A-1-S103_2026050620260506" buid="1" sort="78A01 01030020260506" numlevel="1" lineno="16" slineno="0-16"><bold>78A-1-103</bold>, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2024, Chapter 148</sn><sn num="78A-1-104" src="code" uid="C78A-1-S104_2026050620260506" buid="2" sort="78A01 01040020260506" numlevel="1" lineno="17" slineno="0-17"><bold>78A-1-104</bold>, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2024, Chapter 148</sn><sn num="78A-4-102" src="code" uid="C78A-4-S102_2026050620260506" buid="3" sort="78A04 01020020260506" numlevel="1" lineno="18" slineno="0-18"><bold>78A-4-102</bold>, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2022, Chapter 276</sn></saamd></sa></lt><enacthead lineno="19"/><enact numlevel="1" lineno="20" slineno="0-20">Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:</enact><bdy><bsec buid="1" num="78A-1-103" type="amend" src="code" uid="C78A-1-S103_2026050620260506" sort="78A01 01030020260506" numlevel="1" lineno="21" slineno="1-1" sn="1"><section number="78A-1-103" numlevel="1" lineno="22" slineno="1-2" type="amend"><secline lineno="21">Section 1. Section <bold>78A-1-103</bold> is amended to read:</secline><catline lineno="22"><bold>78A-1-103<parens/>. Number of district court judges.</bold></catline><sectionText lineno="23"><tab/>The number of district court judges is:</sectionText><subsection ssid="1-null-1" dnum="1-o" numlevel="1" lineno="24" slineno="1-4" level="1"><display>(1)</display>four district court judges in the First Judicial District;</subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-2" dnum="2-o" numlevel="1" lineno="25" slineno="1-5" level="1"><display>(2)</display><amendoutstart style="2"/><amend anum="0" ea="erase" pairid="11" groupid="11" style="2" owner="jchristopherson" level="1" deltag="both">14</amend><amendoutend style="2"/><amend anum="0" ea="amend" pairid="6" groupid="6" style="1" owner="jchristopherson" level="1" amendtag="both" space="true">15</amend> district court judges in the Second Judicial District;</subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-3" dnum="3-o" numlevel="1" lineno="26" slineno="1-6" level="1"><display>(3)</display><amendoutstart style="2"/><amend anum="0" ea="erase" pairid="12" groupid="12" style="2" owner="jchristopherson" level="1" deltag="both">32</amend><amendoutend style="2"/><amend anum="0" ea="amend" pairid="7" groupid="7" style="1" owner="jchristopherson" level="1" amendtag="both" space="true">35</amend> district court judges in the Third Judicial District;</subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-4" dnum="4-o" numlevel="1" lineno="27" slineno="1-7" level="1"><display>(4)</display><amendoutstart style="2"/><amend anum="0" ea="erase" pairid="13" groupid="13" style="2" owner="jchristopherson" level="1" deltag="both">13</amend><amendoutend style="2"/><amend anum="0" ea="amend" pairid="8" groupid="8" style="1" owner="jchristopherson" level="1" amendtag="both" space="true">14</amend> district court judges in the Fourth Judicial District;</subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-5" dnum="5-o" numlevel="1" lineno="28" slineno="1-8" level="1"><display>(5)</display><amendoutstart style="2"/><amend anum="0" ea="erase" pairid="14" groupid="14" style="2" owner="jchristopherson" level="1" deltag="both">seven</amend><amendoutend style="2"/><amend anum="0" ea="amend" pairid="9" groupid="9" style="1" owner="jchristopherson" level="1" amendtag="both" space="true">eight</amend> district court judges in the Fifth Judicial District;</subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-6" dnum="6-o" numlevel="1" lineno="29" slineno="1-9" level="1"><display>(6)</display><amendoutstart style="2"/><amend anum="0" ea="erase" pairid="15" groupid="15" style="2" owner="jchristopherson" level="1" deltag="both">two</amend><amendoutend style="2"/><amend anum="0" ea="amend" pairid="10" groupid="10" style="1" owner="jchristopherson" level="1" amendtag="both" space="true">three</amend> district court judges in the Sixth Judicial District;</subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-7" dnum="7-o" numlevel="1" lineno="30" slineno="1-10" level="1"><display>(7)</display>three district court judges in the Seventh Judicial District; and</subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-8" dnum="8-o" numlevel="1" lineno="31" slineno="1-11" level="1"><display>(8)</display>three district court judges in the Eighth Judicial District.</subsection></section></bsec><bsec buid="2" num="78A-1-104" type="amend" src="code" uid="C78A-1-S104_2026050620260506" sort="78A01 01040020260506" numlevel="1" lineno="32" slineno="2-1" sn="2"><section number="78A-1-104" numlevel="1" lineno="33" slineno="2-2" type="amend"><secline lineno="32">Section 2. Section <bold>78A-1-104</bold> is amended to read:</secline><catline lineno="33"><bold>78A-1-104<parens/>. Number of juvenile court judges.</bold></catline><sectionText lineno="34"><tab/>The number of juvenile court judges is:</sectionText><subsection ssid="2-null-1" dnum="1-o" numlevel="1" lineno="35" slineno="2-4" level="1"><display>(1)</display>two juvenile court judges in the First Judicial District;</subsection><subsection ssid="2-null-2" dnum="2-o" numlevel="1" lineno="36" slineno="2-5" level="1"><display>(2)</display>six juvenile court judges in the Second Judicial District;</subsection><subsection ssid="2-null-3" dnum="3-o" numlevel="1" lineno="37" slineno="2-6" level="1"><display>(3)</display>nine juvenile court judges in the Third Judicial District;</subsection><subsection ssid="2-null-4" dnum="4-o" numlevel="1" lineno="38" slineno="2-7" level="1"><display>(4)</display><amendoutstart style="2"/><amend anum="0" ea="erase" pairid="6" groupid="6" style="2" owner="jchristopherson" level="1" deltag="both">seven</amend><amendoutend style="2"/><amend anum="0" ea="amend" pairid="4" groupid="4" style="1" owner="jchristopherson" level="1" amendtag="both" space="true">eight</amend> juvenile court judges in the Fourth Judicial District;</subsection><subsection ssid="2-null-5" dnum="5-o" numlevel="1" lineno="39" slineno="2-8" level="1"><display>(5)</display>three juvenile court judges in the Fifth Judicial District;</subsection><subsection ssid="2-null-6" dnum="6-o" numlevel="1" lineno="40" slineno="2-9" level="1"><display>(6)</display>two juvenile court judges in the Sixth Judicial District;</subsection><subsection ssid="2-null-7" dnum="7-o" numlevel="1" lineno="41" slineno="2-10" level="1"><display>(7)</display>two juvenile court judges in the Seventh Judicial District; and</subsection><subsection ssid="2-null-8" dnum="8-o" numlevel="1" lineno="42" slineno="2-11" level="1"><display>(8)</display>two juvenile court judges in the Eighth Judicial District.</subsection></section></bsec><bsec buid="3" num="78A-4-102" type="amend" src="code" uid="C78A-4-S102_2026050620260506" sort="78A04 01020020260506" numlevel="1" lineno="43" slineno="3-1" sn="3"><section number="78A-4-102" numlevel="1" lineno="44" slineno="3-2" type="amend"><secline lineno="43">Section 3. Section <bold>78A-4-102</bold> is amended to read:</secline><catline lineno="44"><bold>78A-4-102<parens/>. Number of judges -- Terms -- Presiding judge -- Associate presiding <ln numlevel="1" lineno="45" slineno="3-3"/>judge -- Filing fees.</bold></catline><subsection ssid="3-null-1" dnum="1-o" numlevel="1" lineno="46" slineno="3-4" level="1" placement="noreturn" space="false"><display>(1)</display><subsection ssid="3-null-2" dnum="a-o" level="2" placement="sameline"><display>(a)</display>The Court of Appeals consists of <amendoutstart style="2"/><amend anum="0" ea="erase" pairid="3" groupid="3" style="2" owner="jchristopherson" level="1" deltag="both">seven</amend><amendoutend style="2"/><amend anum="0" ea="amend" pairid="2" groupid="2" style="1" owner="jchristopherson" level="1" amendtag="both" space="true">eight</amend> judges.</subsection><subsection ssid="3-null-3" dnum="b-o" numlevel="1" lineno="47" slineno="3-5" level="2"><display>(b)</display>The term of appointment to office as a judge of the Court of Appeals is until the first <ln numlevel="1" lineno="48" slineno="3-6"/>general election held more than three years after the effective date of the appointment.</subsection><subsection ssid="3-null-4" dnum="c-o" numlevel="1" lineno="49" slineno="3-7" level="2"><display>(c)</display>After the first term of appointment under Subsection <xref depth="4" refnumber="78A-4-102(1)(b)" start="0">(1)(b)</xref>, the term of office of a <ln numlevel="1" lineno="50" slineno="3-8"/>judge of the Court of Appeals is six years and commences on the first Monday in <ln numlevel="1" lineno="51" slineno="3-9"/>January, next following the date of election.</subsection><subsection ssid="3-null-5" dnum="d-o" numlevel="1" lineno="52" slineno="3-10" level="2"><display>(d)</display>A judge whose term expires may serve, upon request of the Judicial Council, until a <ln numlevel="1" lineno="53" slineno="3-11"/>successor is appointed and qualified. </subsection></subsection><subsection ssid="3-null-6" dnum="2-o" numlevel="1" lineno="54" slineno="3-12" level="1" space="false"><display>(2)</display><subsection ssid="3-null-7" dnum="a-o" level="2" placement="sameline"><display>(a)</display>The Court of Appeals shall sit and render judgment in panels of three judges.</subsection><subsection ssid="3-null-8" dnum="b-o" numlevel="1" lineno="55" slineno="3-13" level="2"><display>(b)</display>Assignment to panels shall be by random rotation of all judges of the Court of <ln numlevel="1" lineno="56" slineno="3-14"/>Appeals.</subsection><subsection ssid="3-null-9" dnum="c-o" numlevel="1" lineno="57" slineno="3-15" level="2"><display>(c)</display>The Court of Appeals by rule shall provide for the selection of a chair for each panel.</subsection><subsection ssid="3-null-10" dnum="d-o" numlevel="1" lineno="58" slineno="3-16" level="2"><display>(d)</display>The Court of Appeals may not sit en banc.</subsection></subsection><subsection ssid="3-null-11" dnum="3-o" numlevel="1" lineno="59" slineno="3-17" level="1" space="false"><display>(3)</display><subsection ssid="3-null-12" dnum="a-o" level="2" placement="sameline"><display>(a)</display>The judges of the Court of Appeals shall elect a presiding judge from among the <ln numlevel="1" lineno="60" slineno="3-18"/>members of the court by majority vote of all judges.</subsection><subsection ssid="3-null-13" dnum="b-o" numlevel="1" lineno="61" slineno="3-19" level="2"><display>(b)</display>The term of office of the presiding judge is two years and until a successor is elected.</subsection><subsection ssid="3-null-14" dnum="c-o" numlevel="1" lineno="62" slineno="3-20" level="2"><display>(c)</display>A presiding judge of the Court of Appeals may serve in that office no more than two <ln numlevel="1" lineno="63" slineno="3-21"/>successive terms.</subsection><subsection ssid="3-null-15" dnum="d-o" numlevel="1" lineno="64" slineno="3-22" level="2"><display>(d)</display>The Court of Appeals may by rule provide for an acting presiding judge to serve in <ln numlevel="1" lineno="65" slineno="3-23"/>the absence or incapacity of the presiding judge.</subsection><subsection ssid="3-null-16" dnum="e-o" numlevel="1" lineno="66" slineno="3-24" level="2"><display>(e)</display>The presiding judge of the Court of Appeals shall receive $2,000 per annum of <ln numlevel="1" lineno="67" slineno="3-25"/>additional compensation for the period served as presiding judge.</subsection></subsection><subsection ssid="3-null-17" dnum="4-o" numlevel="1" lineno="68" slineno="3-26" level="1" space="false"><display>(4)</display><subsection ssid="3-null-18" dnum="a-o" level="2" placement="sameline"><display>(a)</display>The presiding judge may be removed from the office of presiding judge by <ln numlevel="1" lineno="69" slineno="3-27"/>majority vote of all judges of the Court of Appeals.</subsection><subsection ssid="3-null-19" dnum="b-o" numlevel="1" lineno="70" slineno="3-28" level="2"><display>(b)</display>In addition to the duties of a judge of the Court of Appeals, the presiding judge shall:<subsection ssid="3-null-20" dnum="i-o" numlevel="1" lineno="71" slineno="3-29" level="3"><display>(i)</display>administer the rotation and scheduling of panels;</subsection><subsection ssid="3-null-21" dnum="ii-o" numlevel="1" lineno="72" slineno="3-30" level="3"><display>(ii)</display>act as liaison with the Supreme Court;</subsection><subsection ssid="3-null-22" dnum="iii-o" numlevel="1" lineno="73" slineno="3-31" level="3"><display>(iii)</display>call and preside over the meetings of the Court of Appeals; and</subsection><subsection ssid="3-null-23" dnum="iv-o" numlevel="1" lineno="74" slineno="3-32" level="3"><display>(iv)</display>carry out duties prescribed by the Supreme Court and the Judicial Council.</subsection></subsection></subsection><subsection ssid="3-null-24" dnum="5-o" numlevel="1" lineno="75" slineno="3-33" level="1" space="false"><display>(5)</display><subsection ssid="3-null-25" dnum="a-o" level="2" placement="sameline"><display>(a)</display>The judges of the Court of Appeals shall elect an associate presiding judge from <ln numlevel="1" lineno="76" slineno="3-34"/>among the members of the court by majority vote of all judges.</subsection><subsection ssid="3-null-26" dnum="b-o" numlevel="1" lineno="77" slineno="3-35" level="2"><display>(b)</display>The associate presiding judge of the Court of Appeals shall receive $1,000 per <ln numlevel="1" lineno="78" slineno="3-36"/>annum as additional compensation for the period served as associate presiding judge.</subsection></subsection><subsection ssid="3-null-27" dnum="6-o" numlevel="1" lineno="79" slineno="3-37" level="1"><display>(6)</display>Filing fees for the Court of Appeals are the same as for the Supreme Court.</subsection></section></bsec><bsec buid="4" type="uncod" untype="effdate" src="uncod" uid="EF0000" sort="UZEFF" langlock="true" numlevel="1" lineno="80" slineno="4-1" sn="4"><section type="uncod" untype="effdate" display="false" src="uncod"><secline lineno="80">Section 4.  <bold>Effective Date.</bold></secline><sectionText lineno="81"><amend anum="0" ea="amend" pairid="1" groupid="1" style="1" owner="jchristopherson" level="1" amendtag="both">This bill takes effect on <effdate uid="code" date="5/6/2026">May 6, 2026</effdate>.</amend></sectionText></section></bsec></bdy><foot><rev><tm>12-29-25 3:14 PM</tm></rev></foot></leg>