Retention election · Nov 3, 2026
Coral Sanchez
Third District Court
JPECMeets or exceeds standardsWhat this court does
The main trial court for Salt Lake, Summit and Tooele counties: felonies, civil lawsuits, divorce and custody, probate and more.
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 CORAL SANCHEZ be retained in the office of Judge of the District Court of the Third Judicial District?” · On every Salt Lake County ballot, including Taylorsville.
91% of survey respondents recommend Judge Sanchez for retention
JPEC survey scores (1–5 scale; JPEC reports list 3.6 as the minimum standard)
| Legal ability | 4.5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Integrity & temperament | 4.6 | |
| Administrative skills | 4.6 | |
| Procedural fairness | 4.6 |
Compared with peers (JPEC)
- Consistent with peers: Legal Ability, Integrity & Judicial Temperament, Administrative Skills, Procedural Fairness
What survey respondents and observers said (JPEC summary)
- Both respondents and courtroom observers applaud the judge’s kind, patient, and respectful demeanor with court participants.
- Both groups describe her as a clear communicator who explains information and ensures that participants understand.
- Observers appreciate the judge’s unhurried, thorough approach working through cases.
- All four observers report confidence that they would be treated fairly if they were to appear in Judge Sanchez’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 Coral Sanchez was appointed to the Third District Court in December 2022 by Governor Spencer Cox. She serves Salt Lake, Summit, and Tooele counties. Prior to her appointment, Judge Sanchez served as the Division Chief in the Davis County Attorney's Office, where she oversaw the Special Victims Unit and the Children's Justice Center. She previously worked for the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office where she served as the Unit Chief for the Special Victims Unit and the Juvenile Unit. As a prosecutor, she specialized in cases involving child physical and sexual abuse, child homicide, adult sexual assault, domestic violence, and gang homicide. Judge Sanchez also practiced law at a small civil litigation firm. In 2019, Judge Sanchez was named State Prosecutor of the Year by the Utah Crime Victims Council. She received her bachelor's degree from the University of Southern California and her law degree from the S.J. Quinney College of Law at the University of Utah.
Sources
About this office: Third District Court judge
A trial judge in Utah's general-jurisdiction court for Salt Lake, Summit and Tooele counties, who presides over felony trials, civil lawsuits, divorces and custody, and probate.
- Role
- Trial judge, Third Judicial District (33 judges)
- Hours
- Full-time
- Pay
- $224,750
- Typical week
- Daily court calendars (hearings, sentencings, trials), rulings in chambers, managing a heavy docket
Responsibilities and powers
- "The district court has original jurisdiction in all matters civil and criminal," except where the constitution or statute says otherwise, and can issue writs to enforce its orders (Utah Code 78A-5-102).
- Also handles lawyer discipline under Supreme Court rules, foreign protective orders, and some parental-rights cases (same).
- The Third Judicial District has 33 district court judges (78A-1-103).
A typical week [INFERRED from jurisdiction and court calendars]
- Mornings are often law-and-motion or criminal calendars (arraignments, pleas, sentencings); trials and evidentiary hearings take blocks of days; afternoons and evenings go to written rulings. Judges rotate through warrant and on-call duty.
Time commitment
- Full-time.
Staff and budget
- Each judge works with a judicial assistant (clerk) team and shares law clerks [INFERRED]. Trial courts are funded through the State Court Administrator line items in the state budget.
Pay
- $224,750 for FY2027, set directly in S.B. 8 (2026).