Justice Matthew Durrant, the longest-serving chief justice of the Utah Supreme Court in state history, will retire at the end of the summer.
That, combined with Justice Diana Hagen’s resignation and the Legislature’s two-seat expansion of the state’s highest court, means there will now be four vacancies out of seven on the court in 2026 — a dramatic turnover at a tumultuous time.
The 69-year-old Durrant spent 26 years on the court, 14 as chief justice.
“Serving the people of Utah and working alongside dedicated judges and court employees across the state has been the honor of a lifetime,” Chief Justice Durrant said in a statement. “I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to help strengthen the administration of justice in Utah.”
Gov. Spencer Cox commended Durrant, calling him a “deeply respected jurist, consummate public servant, and genuinely extraordinary person.”
“His integrity, humility, and devotion to public service have left a lasting mark on our state, and Utah is better because he chose to serve,” Cox’s statement continued.
The Utah State Bar had similar sentiments. They heralded Durrant’s impact on the judiciary, saying “few judges leave a mark on a state’s legal system” the way he has.
“He understood that the courthouse must be a place where ordinary people feel the law is working for them, not just a forum for those who can afford to navigate it.”
The organization also spoke highly of how Durrant carried himself, his respect for the law and the reforms the courts pursued under his leadership.
“What he built here, in the culture of the courts, in the careers he shaped, in the decisions that now anchor our jurisprudence, will not fade,” the bar said. “Utah was fortunate to have him.”
First appointed to the Utah Supreme Court in 2000 by former Gov. Michael Leavitt, Durrant previously served as a judge in Utah’s Third District Court. He received his law degree from Harvard Law School after earning his undergraduate degree from Brigham Young University.
A commission will create a pool of nominees for the governor to pick from, and his choice will be confirmed by the state Senate.
The governor is already reviewing a list of nominees for the two vacancies created by the Legislature’s expansion of the court. All of the finalists are men. Lawmakers expanded the court from five to seven justices.
It’s been a time of change for the Utah Supreme Court.
Cox appointed Judge John Nielsen to the bench late last year after the retirement of Justice John Pearce. Once the four vacancies are filled, that means all but two of the justices on the court will be Cox picks who have been on the job for less than a year. Of the remaining justices, Paige Petersen was chosen by former Gov. Gary Herbert, and Jill Pohlman was appointed by Cox.
Justice Hagen suddenly departed after pressure from Republican state leaders, including Cox, who called for an investigation into allegations that she had an inappropriate relationship with an attorney involved in Utah’s contentious redistricting battle. That was after the Judicial Conduct Commission investigated the allegations, and the complaint was dismissed.
Not only will Cox appoint the new justices, but he will also select the new chief justice. A law passed by the Legislature last year gave that power to the governor.
