Weber County judge stays on ballot despite panel's recommendation he be removed

Weber County Justice Court Judge Trent Nelson is staying on the Nov. 3 ballot after the Utah Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission recommended that voters remove him, The Salt Lake Tribune reported. He is the only judge on this year's ballot with a negative recommendation. ^[1]

All 13 commission members concluded he did not meet standards, including those for legal ability, integrity, judicial temperament and procedural fairness. Judges who receive a negative review usually retire, which keeps the evaluation from becoming public. Nelson declined an interview, saying judicial rules bar judges from campaigning. In a written response he said he was "happy to receive feedback" and that court observers found him professional and consistent. ^[1]

Some respondents to the commission's survey said he was impatient with defendants and could be demeaning, one calling his approach "extreme rhetoric and lecturing." A Tribune reporter who visited his courtroom saw him work with defendants to make sure they could afford monthly payments. ^[1]

The commission's director said the last judge to stay on the ballot after a negative recommendation was in 2016, when 3rd District Judge Su Chon was retained by voters. ^[1]