Retention election · Nov 3, 2026
John Luthy
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 JOHN DAVID LUTHY be retained in the office of Judge of the Court of Appeals of Utah?” · On every Salt Lake County ballot, including Taylorsville.
89% of survey respondents recommend Judge Luthy for retention
JPEC survey scores (1–5 scale; JPEC reports list 3.6 as the minimum standard)
| Legal ability | 4.3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Integrity & temperament | 4.7 | |
| Administrative skills | 4.7 | |
| Procedural fairness | 4.7 |
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 value Judge Luthy’s respectful judicial demeanor, particularly his kindness and professionalism.
- They admire the judge’s preparedness for oral arguments and inquisitive, thorough manner.
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 John D. Luthy was appointed to the Utah Court of Appeals in October 2022 by Governor Spencer J. Cox. Prior to his appointment, Judge Luthy served for three years in the Cache County Attorney’s Office, first as Chief Civil Deputy County Attorney and then as County Attorney. Judge Luthy graduated magna cum laude from Utah State University in 1996 and cum laude from the J. Reuben Clark Law School at Brigham Young University in 2000. Following law school, Judge Luthy served as a law clerk to Judge Gregory K. Orme of the Utah Court of Appeals, Justice Richard C. Howe of the Utah Supreme Court, and Judge Russell W. Bench of the Utah Court of Appeals. He then practiced law for three years at the firm Suitter Axland in Salt Lake City. In 2006, Judge Luthy joined the faculty of the University of South Carolina School of Law, where he taught Legal Analysis and Writing and Advanced Legal Writing. In 2014, Judge Luthy returned to Utah to join the firm Peck Hadfield Baxter & Moore (now Peck Baxter Watkins & Bailey) in Logan, where he worked for five years. Judge Luthy previously sat on the executive committee of the Appellate Practice Section of the Utah State Bar and served as president of the Cache County Bar Association. He taught as an adjunct instructor at the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Advocacy Center in Columbia, South Carolina, and as an adjunct professor at Utah State University.
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].