Logan, UT---The First District Judicial Nominating Commission has selected three nominees for a vacancy in the First District Court. The position will replace Judge Gordon Low who will retire effective August 31, 2007. The First Judicial District is comprised of Box Elder, Cache, and Rich counties.
The nominees are as follows: Kevin J. Fife, Logan, Olson and Hoggan; Stephen W. Jewell, Logan, self-employed attorney; John K. West, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Legal Defender’s Association.
A 10-day public comment period will be held before the names are submitted to Gov. Jon M. Huntsman. First District Nominating Commission Chair Gary Anderson is accepting written comments regarding the nominees at Administrative Office of the Courts, P.O. Box 140241, Salt Lake City, UT, 84114-0241. The deadline for written comments is 5 p.m. on Sept. 6, 2007.
The commission may request further interviews or an investigation of the nominees after reviewing public comments. After the public comment period, the names will be sent to the Governor who has 30 days to select a candidate. The Governor’s nominee is then forwarded to the Senate Confirmation Committee, which reviews the nominee’s qualifications and conducts a public hearing and interview session. The Senate Confirmation Committee will forward the final nominee to the Utah State Senate, which has 60 days from the Governor’s nomination to confirm the nominee.