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Rep. Lee: I voted for judicial‑retention reforms inside a bill that also expanded the state Supreme Court
Summary
Rep. Trevor Lee said he supported a bill that expanded the Utah Supreme Court because it included judicial‑retention reforms and other provisions he considered necessary to address what he described as problematic judges, even though he said he did not favor the expansion component.
During an interview with the Davis County Conservatives, Representative Trevor Lee was asked why he voted for legislation that expanded the Utah Supreme Court. Lee said he supported the broader package because it contained judicial‑retention and reform provisions he considered important for holding judges accountable.
"There was a ton of other provisions in there that are going to eliminate bad judges if we need to," Lee said, adding that he voted for the bill to secure those reforms even though he said he disagreed with the expansion element. He characterized impeachment as the ideal remedy for an unconstitutional judge but said his colleagues lacked the appetite for impeachment, so the bill was a pragmatic step.
Lee said the package included retention and coordination provisions that led him to support the overall bill; he encouraged listeners to read the bill text. He did not provide the bill number in the interview nor the specific statutory language he relied on; he acknowledged that he "may not have liked the expansion" but argued the other changes outweigh the expansion's negatives.
Next steps: Lee said he favors reforms that create avenues for addressing judicial conduct and retention and urged constituents to read the bill to see the full range of provisions. He did not specify implementation steps or timelines.
