Stephen Nelson appointed as new Third District Court judge

Stephen Nelson. Photo: Utah Office of the Governor

SUMMIT COUNTY, Utah — Stephen Nelson was named to the Third District Court on Thursday to fill the vacancy left by Judge Randall Skanchy.

Nelson was appointed by Gov. Spencer J. Cox, and his nomination still requires confirmation from the Utah Senate.

“I appreciate Stephen’s willingness to take on this new responsibility,” Cox said. “I am confident that his experience and intellect will serve the people of the Third District Court well for years to come.”

Nelson has a bachelor’s degree from Westminster College in economics, a juris doctorate from the University of Utah’s S.J. Quinney College of Law, and a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Utah.

He has served as an assistant United States attorney in the national security section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah since 2016, prosecuting organized crime, violent crime and narcotics.

Nelson previously served for 11 years as a deputy district attorney in the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office, and spent two years as an assistant attorney general in the Utah Attorney General’s Office. He also works as an assistant professor at the University of Utah

“I am truly humbled, honored, and grateful to receive this appointment. I have significant respect for the institution of the Utah judiciary, and, specifically, the important work done every day in the courtrooms of the Third District Court where I worked for many years,” Nelson said. “If I’m fortunate enough to be confirmed, I will diligently strive to uphold the District Court’s institutional legacy of fairness, integrity, respect, and fidelity to the law.”