Retention election · Nov 3, 2026
Amy Jo Oliver
Utah Court of Appeals
JPECMeets or exceeds standardsWhat this court does
Hears most appeals from the district and juvenile courts, except cases that go straight to the Supreme Court. Nine judges, statewide.
On every Salt Lake County ballot, including Taylorsville. Vote Yes to keep this judge for 6 more years, or No to remove. More Yes than No votes retains the judge.
The evaluation below is JPEC's official evaluation, quoted and summarized from its report. This guide does not rate judges.
Details: scores, feedback, standards, sources
Ballot question: “Shall AMY JO OLIVER be retained in the office of Judge of the Court of Appeals of Utah?” · On every Salt Lake County ballot, including Taylorsville.
88% of survey respondents recommend Judge Oliver for retention
JPEC survey scores (1–5 scale; JPEC reports list 3.6 as the minimum standard)
| Legal ability | 4.4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Integrity & temperament | 4.6 | |
| Administrative skills | 4.7 | |
| Procedural fairness | 4.5 |
Compared with peers (JPEC)
- Consistent with peers: Legal Ability, Integrity & Judicial Temperament, Administrative Skills, Procedural Fairness
What survey respondents and observers said (JPEC summary)
- Respondents commend Judge Oliver’s work ethic and preparedness during oral arguments.
- They value her professionalism, commonsense, and courteous demeanor.
Other standards (certified by the courts / Judicial Conduct Commission)
- Judicial Education: Pass
- Judicial Time Standard: Pass
- Judicial Discipline: Pass
- Fitness for Office: Pass
Biography (from JPEC)
Judge Amy J. Oliver was appointed to the Utah Court of Appeals in January 2023 by Governor Spencer J. Cox. At the time of her appointment, she was a district court judge in the Third Judicial District, which serves Salt Lake, Summit, and Tooele counties. Judge Oliver received a bachelor’s degree, summa cum laude, from the University of Utah in 1995. After graduation, she worked for the Utah Supreme Court Law Library. Judge Oliver graduated cum laude with a juris doctorate degree from Harvard Law School in 2000. She spent the first part of her legal career in law practice with law firms in Washington, D.C. and Phoenix, Arizona. She then entered government service, first with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah and then with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, where she was the Assistant Director of the Salt Lake Regional Office. Judge Oliver worked as an Adjunct Professor at the George Washington University Law School teaching legal research and writing. She currently serves on the Utah Supreme Court Advisory Committee on the Rules of Professional Conduct.
Sources
About this office: Utah Court of Appeals judge
One of nine judges on Utah's intermediate appeals court, sitting in panels of three to review most appeals from district and juvenile courts and from state agencies.
- Role
- Appellate judge (9 judges)
- Hours
- Full-time
- Pay
- $236,000 (105% of the District Court salary) [COMPUTED]
- Typical week
- Briefs and records, three-judge panel arguments, opinion writing
Responsibilities and powers
- The Court of Appeals "consists of nine judges"; after the first term, terms are six years (Utah Code 78A-4-102).
- Hears appeals from juvenile courts, most criminal appeals except first-degree and capital felonies, district-court reviews of local agency decisions, appeals of state agency adjudications (including hearings before local school boards or the State Board of Education), and cases the Supreme Court transfers to it (78A-4-103).
A typical week [INFERRED from jurisdiction and appellate practice]
- Like the Supreme Court: reading, panel arguments, conferences and opinion drafting, with a larger caseload per judge and many shorter decisions.
Time commitment
- Full-time.
Staff and budget
- Funded through the State Court Administrator line items in the state budget (S.B. 8, 2026, item 175). Judges work with law clerks and judicial assistants [INFERRED].
Pay
- $236,000 for FY2027 (105% of $224,750 = $235,987.50, rounded) [COMPUTED].