The Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission (JPEC) is responsible for coming up with the recommendation for the judges up for retention. The JPEC is comprised of 13 members that include attorneys, jurors, and court staff who are chosen by the Utah Supreme Court (appoints four members), the Governor (appoints four members), the President of the Senate (appoints two members), and the Speaker of the House of Representatives (appoints two members), along with the executive director of the Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice. According to the judges’ website, “the Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission conducts multi-faceted evaluations of judges. A key part of the Commission's evaluation process is a survey of people who have had sufficient experience with a judge to develop an informed opinion about his or her performance.” The website also mentions that the only way for citizens to give their input is by writing a letter to the JPEC or submitting their comments online, since there is a statute about who can be surveyed. However, a new bill is making its way to the 2015 State legislature that would give citizens a chance to have their input be included along with the commission’s recommendations in order to ensure that everyone’s voice is heard regarding the judges.
Below is a list of the judges up for retention in Weber and Box Elder counties, along with a summary of the JPEC’s findings. For a more detailed look at each judge, including those from the Utah Supreme Court and the Utah Court of Appeals, go to http://judges.utah.gov/.
Judge Reuben J. Renstrom, Justice Court Harrisville and Riverdale Cities Justice Court: “Judge Renstrom went to great lengths to be transparent in explaining with clarity the rationale behind his decisions. He was intent on ensuring he was understood and that defendants understood their rights, and he always asked for questions. When translators were present or he had doubts about comprehension, he spoke in short phrases and rephrased what he said.”
