Utah State Bar News & Announcements

Salt Lake City, Utah—Applications are now being accepted for a vacancy on the 3rd District Court bench. The 3rd District includes Salt Lake, Summit, and Tooele counties. The position will replace Judge Stephen Roth who has been appointed to the Utah Court of Appeals.

Volunteer Legal Services Committee for Help in the Event of a Disaster

The Utah State Bar is creating a committee of attorney and paralegal volunteers who would be available in the event of a major disaster to provide pro bono legal advice and services to low income individuals and small businesses on issues such as insurance coverage, landlord / tenant obligations, and business rights. The idea came from the problems that people had in collecting on their insurance policies after hurricane Katrina. We want to do all that we can to prepare in case Utah is hit by an earthquake or other disaster.

We would like to set up a coordination committee in the coming weeks. The immediate purpose of the committee would be to recruit volunteer attorneys in every region of our state, create master plans and contingency plans, and to coordinate efforts with Bar Sections and regional bar associations.

Thank you to Salt Lake City Attorney Ed Rutan for his pioneering efforts in creating a legal services plan in the event of a disaster. If you would like to volunteer to serve on this important coordinating committee, please contact Christy Abad at adminasst@utahbar.org by March 30, 2010.

Orderville, Utah—Applications are being accepted for a Justice Court judge position in Orderville. The position will replace Judge Gerry H. Hoyt who is retiring effective June 2010.

To be considered for the position, candidates must be at least 25 years of age, a citizen of the United States, a resident of Utah for at least three years, and have earned a high school diploma or GED.

Washington » President Barack Obama on Wednesday named Utahn Scott Matheson Jr. to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit, elevating the former law school dean and son of a two-term governor to the appeals court covering Utah and five other states.

If confirmed by the Senate, Matheson, 56, a former U.S. attorney for Utah, would take the seat vacated by another Utahn, Michael McConnell, who resigned to teach at Stanford University.

Comments are requested no later than March 26, 2010

Proposed Revisions

Summary of Revisions

Attached are the proposed amendments to the Local Rules of the U.S. Bankruptcy Appellate Panel of the Tenth Circuit (BAP). The proposed amendments are being circulated for public notice and comment. Also included for your review is a copy of a Summary of Revisions describing the major rule changes. There are no comments in the Summary regarding minor grammatical or stylistic changes. Written comments may be made to the BAP Clerk’s Office by mail, facsimile, or by e-mail at the addresses listed above. Comments may also be addressed to any of the Local Rules of Practice Committee members listed below.

Salt Lake City, UT---The 4th District Judicial Nominating Commission has scheduled a meeting for March 15 at 9 a.m. to nominate a candidate to fill a vacancy that resulted when Judge Howard Maetani retired Jan. 1, 2010. The commission will meet at the Provo Courthouse, 125 North 100 West.

The early portion of the meeting is scheduled for public comment about issues facing the Utah judiciary and refinements or improvements to the system. Public comments are being accepted from 9:30 a.m. through 10:00 a.m.

SECOND DISTRICT COURT JUDICIAL NOMINATING COMMISSION

SELECTION MEETING PLANNED

Farmington, UT---The 2nd District Judicial Nominating Commission has scheduled a meeting for March 16 at 9 a.m. to nominate a candidate to fill a vacancy that resulted when Judge Rodney Page retired. The commission will meet at the Farmington Courthouse, 800 West State Street.

The early portion of the meeting is scheduled for public comment about issues facing the Utah judiciary and refinements or improvements to the system. Public comments are being accepted from 9:30 a.m. through 10:00 a.m.

Following the public hearing, the meeting is closed to allow commission members to select a minimum of five candidates whose names will be forwarded to the Governor’s office to consider for appointment. The nominating commission does not take testimony on individual applicants.

Individuals interested in appearing before the commission should contact the Administrative Office of the Courts at (801) 578-3800 to request an appointment.

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Applications are now being accepted for two vacancies in the 2nd Judicial District. The District Court vacancy is to replace Judge Jon Memmott who will be retiring on May 1, 2010. The Juvenile Court vacancy is to replace Kent Bachman who is retiring Aug. 1, 2010.
Attached are the news releases for both vacancies. This information is also available at
http://www.utcourts.gov/media/news/

Volunteer to represent service members facing default judgment

Attend a free CLE to find out more

Service Member Volunteer Attorneys (SMAV)

NOMINEES ANNOUNCED FOR OREM CITY JUSTICE COURT VACANCY

Orem, UT—The Utah County Nominating Commission has selected five nominees for a Justice Court vacancy on the Orem City Justice Court, which is scheduled to open Sept. 1, 2010.

Following are the nominees along with their employer and place of residence:

Augustus G. Chin, of Salt Lake City, Rasmussen and Miner; Robert J. Church, of Orem, Orem City Attorney’s Office; Paul C. Farr, of Herriman, Minnock, Rice & James; Judge Reed S. Parkin, of Bluffdale, Justice Court Judge for Bluffdale, Herriman, and Heber cities; Judge Keith L. Stoney, of South Jordan, Justice Court Judge for Saratoga Springs and West Valley City.

A comment period will be held through April 2, 2010, before the names are submitted to Orem City Manager Jim Reams who has 30 days to make an appointment. The Utah Judicial Council must then certify the appointment. To submit written comments about the candidates, contact Shari Veverka, Administrative Office of the Courts, shariv@email.utcourts.gov.

NOMINEES ANNOUNCED FOR SECOND DISTRICT COURT VACANCY

Farmington, UT--The 2nd District Judicial Nominating Commission has selected five nominees for a vacancy on the 2nd District Court bench. The position replaces Judge Rodney Page who has retired. The 2nd Judicial District is comprised of Davis, Morgan, and Weber counties.

APPELLATE COURT JUDICIAL NOMINATING COMMISSION

SELECTION MEETING PLANNED

Salt Lake City, UT---The Appellate Court Judicial Nominating Commission has scheduled a meeting for April 6, 2010, to nominate candidates to fill a vacancy that will result when Justice Michael J. Wilkins retires May 15, 2010. The commission will meet at the Scott M. Matheson Courthouse, 450 South State, in the Judicial Council room, N-31.

The American Bar Association convened for its 71st Midyear Meeting in Orlando, Florida on February 8-9, 2010. Your Utah Bar Delegates, Larry Stevens and Margaret Plane, and I attended the meeting. The Daily Journal of the actions of the House of Delegates can be found on the House of Delegate's website. The Select Committee Report is a more comprehensive summary of all of the activities of the House.

Hinckley Institute of Politics Law Day Panel
Monday, April 5 to begin at noon

“Law in the 21st Century: Enduring Traditions, Emerging Challenges”

Moderator: Randy Dryer, Shareholder, Parsons, Behle & Latimer
Panelists: -Chief Justice Christine M. Durham
-Dean Hiram Chodosh, S.J. Quinney School of Law, University of Utah
-Stephen Owens, Utah State Bar

The topic for the panel will focus primarily on the challenges the legal community is facing in the 21st Century. The law is changing dramatically as it seeks to shape and adapt to new conditions and circumstances. Some of the challenges to be discussed are as follows:

Orderville, UT—The Kane County Nominating Commission has forwarded the names of three nominees for a Justice Court vacancy in the Orderville Justice Court. The position will replace Judge Gerry H. Hoyt who is retiring effective June 2010.

Following are the nominees along with their employer and place of residence: Tonya A. Garreaud, of Duck Creek Village, retired; James S. Hoyt, of Orderville, Valley High School; and Judge Steven R. Wallace, of Glendale, retired.

Provo, UT--The 4th District Judicial Nominating Commission has selected five nominees for a vacancy on the 4th District Court bench. The position replaces Judge Howard Maetani who retired Jan. 1, 2010. The 4th Judicial District is comprised of Juab, Millard, Utah, and Wasatch counties.

The nominees are as follows: M. James Brady, of Mapleton, partner, Bradford & Brady; Jared Eldridge, of Nephi, county attorney, Juab County, and city prosecutor, Nephi City; Donna Kelly, of Provo, deputy Utah County attorney; Leslie W. Slaugh, of Orem, attorney/shareholder, Howard, Lewis & Petersen; and Gary R. Williams, of South Ogden, Ogden city attorney.