Utah Legislature passes bill to expand Utah Supreme Court, add 5 more lower court judges
A bill to expand the Utah Supreme Court from five justices to seven — and also add two more Court of Appeals justices and three district court judges — has won final legislative approval from the Utah Legislature.
SB134, sponsored by Senate Minority Whip Chris Wilson, R-Logan, now goes to Gov. Spencer Cox’s desk.
The governor’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the bill Friday, but Cox has previously expressed support for expanding the Utah Supreme Court. He’s expected to sign it.
The governor and Republican legislative leaders have said the $6.5 million bill isn’t aimed at “court packing” or changing the makeup of the state’s highest court to appoint justices that make decisions more in the Republican-controlled Legislature’s favor. They have argued it’s to better align Utah with other similarly-populated states that have seven justices while also increasing “statewide resources” for the courts.
https://utahnewsdispatch.com/2026/01/30/utah-legislature-passes-bill-to-expand-utah-supreme-court/