Nominees await public comment period for Third District Court vacancy

Third Judicial District Court District. Photo: Will Scadden // Townlift

SALT LAKE CITY – The Third District Judicial Nominating Commission has selected five nominees for the Judge vacancy on the Third District Court.

The Third District Court serves Summit, Salt Lake, and Tooele counties.

The candidates for the open position include: Darcy Goddard, Shareholder/Attorney at Strong & Hanni, P.C.; Todd Hilbig, Assistant Attorney at the United States Attorney’s Office; Kyle Kaiser, Judge Pro Tempore at the Salt Lake City Justice Court and Assistant Attorney General at the Utah Attorney General’s Office; Thaddeus May, Assistant Attorney at the United States Attorney’s Office; and John Nielsen, Partner at Schaerr Jaffe LLP.

Utah state law stipulates that a seven-member judicial nominating commission is responsible for selecting candidates for judicial vacancies in each district. Each district has its own commission, with members appointed by the Governor for four-year terms.

The Third District nominating commission is chaired by John Huber, the previous U.S. Attorney for the District of Utah from 2015 through 2021.

Written comments can be submitted to the Third District Judicial Nominating Commission at judicialvacancies@utah.gov or Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice, P.O. Box 142330, Salt Lake City, UT 84114-2330.

The deadline for written comments is noon on September 2, 2024. After reviewing public comments, the Nominating Commission may request further information or investigate the nominees.

Following a 30-day public comment period, Governor Cox will appoint one of the nominees to serve on the Third District Court. A majority of the Utah State Senate must then confirm the Governor’s appointee.