December 7, 2007
Contact: Nancy Volmer
(801) 578-3994
Cell: (801) 712-4545
Salt Lake City, UT---The Utah Supreme Court has appointed Judge Royal I. Hansen to serve on the Judicial Conduct Commission, filling the balance of the term of Judge Darwin C. Hansen, who is retiring from the bench December 31, 2007. Judge Darwin Hansen’s term on the Commission expires June 30, 2008. At that time, the Utah Supreme Court will consider reappointing Judge Royal Hansen for a four-year term.
Under Utah law, the Utah Supreme Court is required to appoint two judges and two attorneys to the Judicial Conduct Commission. One of the judges must be a member of the Utah Court of Appeals, and the other a judge from the district or juvenile court bench. The attorneys must be members in good standing with the Utah State Bar and cannot reside in the same judicial district.
Judge Royal I. Hansen was appointed to the Third District Court in July 2003 by Gov. Michael O. Leavitt. He serves Salt Lake, Summit, and Tooele counties. Judge Hansen received a law degree from the University of Utah College of Law in 1975. He was a law clerk for Judge Frank Q. Nebeker of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals from 1975 to 1976. Judge Hansen practiced with the law firm of Moyle & Draper from 1976 to 2003. He was admitted to practice in the District of Columbia and Utah. Judge Hansen currently serves as a member of the Utah Supreme Court Advisory Committee on the Rules of Professional Conduct, the Utah Supreme Court Advisory Committee on Professionalism, and as chair of the Judicial Council’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee. He is the presiding judge of the South Valley Felony Drug Court. Judge Hansen is a member of the A. Aldon J. Anderson Inn of Court.
The JCC was constitutionally established in 1984. By statute, the Utah Constitution authorizes the Legislature to establish the composition and procedures of the JCC. The JCC is empowered to investigate and conduct confidential hearings regarding complaints against state, county, and municipal judges throughout the state.
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