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Salt Lake City adds first new justice court judge in two decades

Salt Lake City adds first new justice court judge in two decades

Rule Changes Salt Lake City, UT local

Nick Stiles approved for new sixth judgeship after court study found need for more than six judges

September 23rd, 2026: Stiles appointed sixth Justice Court judge

Overview

Updated Sep 23

Salt Lake City's Justice Court is getting its first new judge in more than two decades. Mayor Erin Mendenhall named Nick Stiles to a newly created sixth judgeship, and the City Council approved the pick on September 23.

The court handles Class B and Class C misdemeanors, infractions, traffic citations, and small claims within Salt Lake City. Criminal filings have jumped 73% since 2016, and a workload study recommended more than six judges. Only one new position was approved in December 2025.

Why it matters

For most Salt Lake City residents, the Justice Court is their only courtroom. A sixth judge means shorter waits for traffic, misdemeanor, and small-claims cases.

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Key Indicators

6
Total Salt Lake City Justice Court judges
Court grows from five to six judges for first time in over two decades.
20+
Years since previous new judgeship
The court operated with five judges for more than twenty years.
$200,210
Annual salary for new judge
Salary range posted in the 2026 vacancy announcement.
6.31
Judges recommended by caseload study
Weighted-caseload methodology recommends 6.31 judges based on recent filing averages.
73%
Rise in criminal filings since 2016
Criminal case filings in Salt Lake City Justice Court have grown 73% since 2016.

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People Involved

NS
Nick Stiles
Incoming Salt Lake City Justice Court judge
Awaiting new judge orientation and certification by the Utah Judicial Council
 Erin Mendenhall
Erin Mendenhall
Mayor of Salt Lake City
Selected Stiles from five candidates forwarded by the Judicial Nominating Commission

Organizations Involved

Salt Lake City Justice Court
Salt Lake City Justice Court
Municipal court
Expanding from five to six judges

Handles Class B and Class C misdemeanors, infractions, traffic citations, and small claims within Salt Lake City.
Utah Judicial Council
Utah Judicial Council
Judicial oversight body
Approved the new judgeship in December 2025; will certify the appointment

Oversees Utah's court system and approves the creation of new judicial positions.
Salt Lake City Council
Salt Lake City Council
Municipal legislature
Approved the appointment of Nick Stiles

Voted to confirm Mayor Mendenhall's selection of Nick Stiles.

Timeline

December 2025 September 2026

5 events Latest: September 23rd, 2026 · 2 months ago
Tap a bar to jump to that date

  1. Stiles appointed sixth Justice Court judge

    Latest Appointment

    Mayor Mendenhall selects Nick Stiles; City Council approves the appointment.

  2. Justice Court asks council to lift judgeship cap

    Policy

    Court officials asked the City Council to remove the cap on full- and part-time judges and allow temporary appointments, citing a 73% rise in criminal filings since 2016. No formal action was taken.

  3. Five nominees announced for new judgeship

    Process

    The Judicial Nominating Commission forwarded five candidates to Mayor Mendenhall, including Nick Stiles.

  4. Application deadline for new judgeship

    Process

    Candidates had until May 29 to apply for the sixth Justice Court judge position.

  5. Utah Judicial Council approves new Justice Court judgeship

    Approval

    First new Salt Lake City Justice Court position approved in more than two decades.

Scenarios

1

Stiles sworn in as Salt Lake City's sixth justice court judge

Likely Resolves by End of 2026

Discussed by: Salt Lake City Mayor's Office and Utah Courts

The appointment needs only final certification by the Utah Judicial Council, a procedural step that follows council approval. Once sworn in, Stiles will handle misdemeanor, traffic, and small-claims cases alongside five colleagues, adding capacity the court has lacked since its last expansion.

2

Salt Lake City approves additional justice court judges after study

Possible Resolves by Q3 2027

Discussed by: Utah Administrative Office of the Courts workload study

The study found the court has enough caseload for more than six judges, but only one seat was approved in December 2025. If the sixth judge's workload stays high in the next fiscal year, city officials may push for additional positions in the 2027 budget cycle.

3

Sixth judge makes little dent as caseload outpaces capacity

Possible Resolves by Q2 2027

Discussed by: Judicial caseload data and court administration

The study concluded the court needs more than six judges, which means even with Stiles, the bench remains below the recommended size. If incoming cases grow faster than one judge can process them, average wait times may barely improve despite the new position.

4

City Council lifts cap on Justice Court judgeships

Possible Resolves by End of 2026

Discussed by: Salt Lake City Justice Court officials and City Council

Court officials asked the council on Sept. 9 to remove the cap on full- and part-time judges and allow temporary appointments. They cited a 73% rise in criminal filings since 2016. The weighted-caseload methodology recommends 6.31 judges, so the sixth judgeship may not be the last.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

2026 legislative session

Utah Supreme Court expansion (2026)

The Utah Legislature created additional seats on the state Supreme Court during its 2026 session. Governor Spencer Cox appointed Jay Jorgensen, a former Walmart executive and LDS Church counsel, and Stephen Dent to fill the new seats. Both were formally sworn in during fall 2026 ceremonies.

Then

The state's highest court gained capacity to handle a growing appeals caseload.

Now

Utah's court system expanded at both the appellate and municipal levels in the same year, reflecting broader pressure on judicial capacity.

Why this matters now

The same mechanism drove both appointments: a workload assessment identified unmet need, the legislature or judicial council created positions, and governors or mayors filled them.

2024-2025

JUDGES Act of 2024

Congress passed a bill adding 63 new federal district court judgeships spread over three years, following years of recommendations from the Judicial Conference of the United States. The expansion addressed chronic understaffing in high-caseload federal courts.

Then

New judgeships were phased in gradually, with appointments staggered to avoid politicizing the process.

Now

The act showed how workload studies translate into concrete judicial expansion, though implementation was slower than advocates hoped.

Why this matters now

Like the Salt Lake City expansion, the federal judgeships followed a formal workload study and required legislative approval before appointments could proceed.

Sources

(5)
KSL.com Utah State Bar SLC.gov Citizen Portal Utah Courts