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Utah Shows How a Governor Can Remake a State Supreme Court in a Single Term (Court Report)

June 10, 2026 | Sandy Dornsife

Governor Spencer Cox will appoint nearly the entire Utah Supreme Court by the end of 2026 following legislation that expanded the court from five to seven justices and earlier legislation that granted him authority to select the Chief Justice. Utah's judicial appointments follow years of tension between Republican state leaders and the Supreme Court over decisions on redistricting, ballot initiatives, and the state's abortion ban, which the court temporarily blocked in 2024. The recent resignations of Chief Justice Matthew Durrant and Justice Diana Hagen, combined with the two new seats created by Utah SB 134, give Governor Cox an unprecedented opportunity to reshape the court's direction on pending cases. Pending cases before the restructured Utah Supreme Court include final rulings on the abortion ban and a challenge to new legislation allowing a three-judge panel to hear civil cases involving state entities at the request of the Attorney General, Governor, or Legislature.