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Utah Supreme Court justices mark Constitution Day and outline U.S. and Utah constitutions
Summary
Three Utah Supreme Court justices spoke Sept. 17, 2025, for Constitution Day, summarizing the U.S. Constitution’s separation of powers, amendments and differences with the Utah Constitution, including historical notes on women’s suffrage and judicial review.
Three justices of the Utah Supreme Court — Justice Diana Hagen, Justice Jill Coleman and Justice Paige Peterson — spoke on Sept. 17, 2025, for Constitution Day, explaining the structure of the U.S. Constitution, how amendments work and how Utah’s constitution differs from the federal document.
“This day is celebrated across the country to remember when our US Constitution was signed in 1787,” Justice Diana Hagen said, describing the day’s purpose. The justices summarized the Constitution’s three branches: Article I creating Congress, Article II creating the presidency and Article III creating the judicial branch. They said the branches are meant to create checks and balances so no single branch gains excessive power.
The justices noted that the Constitution was written with change in mind. “So far, 27 amendments have been added,” the remarks said, and the justices cited familiar protections such as freedom of religion and speech, the right to a fair trial and the later expansion of voting rights to women.
Speakers placed the Utah Constitution in historical context: Utah’s state constitution, adopted when Utah became a state in 1896, grants some protections beyond the federal document and, the remarks noted, included women’s voting rights 24 years before the U.S. amendment that extended suffrage nationwide. The justices also discussed judicial review: the remarks said Utah’s constitution was amended in 1984 to state explicitly that the Utah courts have the power to review and strike down laws that violate the constitution, and they referenced the U.S. Supreme Court case Marbury v. Madison as the origin of judicial-review practice at the federal level.
The presentation was educational in tone and did not propose or direct any formal action; the remarks functioned as civic instruction rather than a court proceeding or policy decision. “Most importantly, Constitution Day reminds us that these amazing documents are here to protect our liberties, our freedoms, and all our basic rights,” Justice Jill Coleman said.
The three justices used the observance to review basic constitutional structure, highlight differences between state and federal constitutions and remind listeners that both documents include amendment processes to address changing needs.
