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Senate approves overhaul of Justice Court appointments, education and retention
Summary
The Utah Senate passed First Substitute Senate Bill 72 to standardize Justice of the Peace (JP) selection, raise minimum education for new JPs to a bachelor’s degree, create local nominating panels and move JPs to six‑year retention elections; sponsors said the changes aim to protect judicial independence and address constitutional concerns.
The Utah Senate on Feb. 22 advanced First Substitute Senate Bill 72, a wide-ranging package of Justice Court reforms that will change how justices of the peace are selected, set new education requirements for incoming judges and create a statewide reporting requirement for JP case outcomes.
Senator Hilliard, the bill sponsor, told colleagues the amendment before the body fixes an oversight that would have required input from a county bar association in counties that lack one, and clarifies grandfathering for current judges. "Where there is no County Bar Association, we'll use the State Bar," Hilliard said when explaining the amendment.
The bill raises the minimum educational requirement for new JPs from a high‑school diploma to a four‑year college degree, but…
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