Retention election · Nov 3, 2026
Augustus G. Chin
Holladay Municipal Justice Court
JPECMeets or exceeds standardsWhat this court does
A local court for misdemeanors, traffic and parking cases, small claims and city or county ordinance violations.
Only on ballots in the city this court serves; not on Taylorsville ballots. 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 AUGUSTUS GRIFFITH CHIN be retained in the office of Judge of the Holladay Municipal Justice Court?” · Only on ballots in Holladay (not on Taylorsville ballots).
98% of survey respondents recommend Judge Chin for retention.
JPEC survey scores (1–5 scale; JPEC reports list 3.6 as the minimum standard)
| Legal ability | 4.5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Integrity & temperament | 4.7 | |
| Administrative skills | 4.7 | |
| Procedural fairness | 4.7 |
Compared with peers (JPEC)
- Above peers: Legal Ability, Integrity & Judicial Temperament, Administrative Skills, Procedural Fairness
What survey respondents and observers said (JPEC summary)
- Respondents praise Judge Chin as particularly skilled, highlighting his legal acumen and diligent, orderly manner. One called him “the epitome of fairness.”
- Both respondents and courtroom observers applaud his respectful, cordial demeanor, finding him to be caring but also firm, and both find that he communicates clearly.
- All four observers report confidence that they would be treated fairly if they were to appear in Judge Chin’s court.
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 Augustus G. Chin was appointed to the Holladay Justice Court in 2011. The Holladay Justice Court serves the cities of Holladay, Cottonwood Heights, Millcreek, and Brighton Township. Judge Chin received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Utah College of Law. He also has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and a minor in Spanish from the University of Utah. Judge Chin was a law clerk-bailiff and law clerk for 3rd District Judge Tyrone E. Medley from 1995-1997. He was a prosecutor for the Salt Lake City Prosecutor’s Office and the Summit County Attorney’s Office from 1998-2008. Prior to taking the bench in 2011, he worked as a criminal defense attorney for Wasatch Advocates and Rasmussen and Miner. Service history: National Judicial College, Part-time (volunteer) Faculty 2017-present, Judicial Council 2017-2023, Board of Justice Court Judges 2016-2023, Utah State Bar President 2006–2007, Utah State Bar Commissioner 1999–2008, Utah Minority Bar Association President 1998-1999, Law-Related Education 1998-2025, Board Member 2009-2025, Chair 2011–2013 & 2023-2024. Utah Bar Foundation 2008-2011, Utah Supreme Court Advisory Committee on Professionalism and Civility 2002-2015.
Justice court judges are appointed by the city or county executive with the local council's consent (Utah Code 78A-7-202), not by the governor.
Sources
About this office: Justice Court judge
A local judge, appointed by a city or county, who handles class B and C misdemeanors, traffic tickets, city ordinance violations, and small claims.
- Role
- City or county justice court judge
- Hours
- Either; set by the city or county based on caseload
- Pay
- $182,210 (Salt Lake County Justice Court); state law sets 70–90% of a District judge's salary for full-time judges
- Typical week
- High-volume calendars: arraignments, traffic, DUI and domestic cases, small-claims trials, often including evening court
Responsibilities and powers
- Original jurisdiction over class B and C misdemeanors, ordinance violations and infractions committed in its territory by adults, and certain traffic and wildlife offenses by minors (Utah Code 78A-7-106).
- Appointed by the city or county executive with the council's consent (78A-7-202); six-year terms, then retention elections in the city or county (78A-7-203).
- Qualifications: U.S. citizen, at least 25, a Utah resident for three years; since May 3, 2023, new judges need a law degree (78A-7-201).
- Taylorsville note: Taylorsville's justice court was combined with West Jordan's municipal justice court, in effect by January 2026. No Taylorsville justice court judge is on the 2026 ballot. The Alta judge appears on every county ballot because Alta is a town (78A-7-203(2)(a)).
A typical week [INFERRED from jurisdiction]
- Many short hearings a day: arraignments, pleas, sentencing and reviews for traffic, DUI, retail theft and domestic cases; small-claims trials. Some courts hold evening sessions.
Time commitment
- Full-time or part-time. The State Court Administrator measures a part-time judge's caseload as a percentage of a full-time judge's caseload, and pay is prorated by that percentage (78A-7-206).
Staff and budget
- Court clerks employed by the city or county; budgets come from the city or county general fund [INFERRED].
Pay
- $182,210 for the Salt Lake County Justice Court judge (2026 SLCo salary schedule, from the guide's pay compilation). By law a full-time justice court judge earns 70%–90% of a District judge's salary (FY2027: $157,325–$202,275 [COMPUTED]) (78A-7-206).