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Gov. Herbert Selects John Pearce to Fill Supreme Court Vacancy

Brian Grimmett
Judge John Pearce

Governor Gary Herbert has nominated Judge John Pearce to fill the vacancy on the Utah Supreme Court.

John Pearce is currently serving as a Utah Court of Appeals Justice, and had previously served as Governor Herbert’s general counsel. He beat out 6 other nominees to get the appointment. Pearce says he’s honored and humbled to have been selected.

“I’ve spent the vast majority of my professional life either in a courtroom, or preparing to be in a courtroom, or dealing with the aftermath of what occurred in a courtroom," Pearce says. "And that experience has ingrained in me an unwavering belief that what happens in a courtroom matters.”

The appointment now goes before the Utah Senate for confirmation. If that happens, Pearce will be replacing Justice Jill Parish, who resigned to become a U.S. District Court Judge. This will be the third justice Herbert has appointed to the Utah Supreme Court. 

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