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.