Letter: How are Utahns supposed to have confidence in a judicial system that’s not representative of the state’s population?
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Supreme Court Justices John Nielsen, Jill Pohlman, Diana Hagen, Paige Petersen and Chief Justice Matthew Durrant before the State of the Judiciary address in the House Chamber at the Utah Capitol in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026.
In 7 months’ time, the Utah Supreme Court will have three vacancies. The 12 nominees to fill two of them are all white males, most of them having attended the same law school (BYU). The third, that of chief justice, is likely to be of the same demographic. Not a single woman, not a single person of color, not a single non-Mormon.
This does not reflect the state’s population, which is currently estimated to be only half male, only three-fourths white, and less than 42% active LDS (and declining).
Why such discrimination? Could it have something to do with those doing the nominating, who share similar demographics?
In any case, how are we citizens supposed to have any confidence in a judicial system that’s so unrepresentative of us? This is Trump-like regression at a time when Utah, like the nation itself, is becoming more and more diverse.
Tom Huckin, Salt Lake City
Submit a letter to the editor
sltrib.com is now free to access — no subscription required. We made this decision because we believe access to trustworthy, independent news shouldn’t depend on what you can afford — especially as misinformation and AI-generated content continue to rise.
Free to read doesn’t mean free to produce. Our reporters show up every day to ask hard questions and hold powerful institutions to account. That work takes resources. As a nonprofit newsroom, we rely on support from people who believe it matters. Make a donation today to fund local news that serves Utah communities.
You can help us bring more local news to more communities today.