Utah Senate confirms slate of gubernatorial appointments, including two Fifth District juvenile court judges

The Utah State Senate met in an extraordinary session in mid‑June 2014 and consented to a slate of gubernatorial appointments, including two juvenile court judges for the Fifth Judicial District.

The session opened with a prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance before Leslie McLean presented a proclamation from Governor Gary R. Herbert calling the Senate into a seventh extraordinary session under Article VII, Section 6 of the Utah Constitution to consider appointments made since the close of the 2014 general session.

The Senate received and acted on nominations transmitted by the governor. The Judicial Confirmation Committee reported favorably on Paul E. Dame’s nomination to the Fifth Judicial District juvenile court, and the Senate moved to consent to his appointment. A roll call showed widespread support and senators congratulated Dame after the vote; the transcript does not include a single consolidated final tally for that specific consent. Afterward, Paul E. Dame addressed the chamber, thanking his family and pledging to serve the district: "I will work very hard, to improve our communities and to influence lives for the better, in this new position that I have."

The governor also transmitted a list of additional appointments dated June 3, 2014, including the nomination of Michael F. Levitt to a Fifth District juvenile court judgeship and multiple board and commission nominations. Senator Scott K. Jenkins reported that his committee found Levitt "a very competent, capable individual, [of] sound mind and good knowledge of law," and the Senate voted to consent. The President announced: "With 27 yeas, 0 nays, and 2 being absent, the Senate consents to the governor's appointment of Judge Michael F. Levitt to the Fifth Judicial District juvenile court."

Separately, the Senate considered a broader package of gubernatorial appointments to state boards and commissions (including nominations to the Board of Business and Economic Development, the Youth Parole Authority, the Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission, the Weber State Board of Trustees, the Real Estate Commission, and others). Committee chairs reported favorable recommendations on several names, and the Senate recorded a roll call in which the President stated a result of "With 21 yay votes and 0 nay votes" as the chamber consented to the package.

Procedural motions included adopting the same rules as a prior February session for the extraordinary meeting and appointing a committee to wait upon the governor's representative. The Senate briefly resolved into and dissolved a Committee of the Whole for parts of the proceedings and closed after notifying the governor’s representative that the Senate had concluded its business.

Authorities cited on the floor during the session included Article VII, Section 6 of the Utah Constitution and Utah Code sections cited by the governor in nomination letters (for example, Utah Code 78A‑10‑101 for judicial nominations and Utah Code 67‑1‑1 and 67‑1‑2 for appointments transmission).

What’s next: the confirmed judges were congratulated on the floor; the Senate dissolved committee business and concluded the extraordinary session. Any administrative follow‑up (oaths of office, assignment of cases) will occur through judicial administrative channels and is not recorded in this transcript.