Retention election · Nov 3, 2026
Paul C. Farr
Alta 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.
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 PAUL CURTIS FARR be retained in the office of Judge of the Alta Municipal Justice Court?” · On every Salt Lake County ballot, including Taylorsville.
97% of survey respondents recommend Judge Farr for retention.
JPEC survey scores (1–5 scale; JPEC reports list 3.6 as the minimum standard)
| Legal ability | 4.8 | |
|---|---|---|
| Integrity & temperament | 4.8 | |
| Administrative skills | 4.9 | |
| Procedural fairness | 4.8 |
Compared with peers (JPEC)
- Above peers: Legal Ability, Integrity & Judicial Temperament, Administrative Skills, and Procedural Fairness
What survey respondents and observers said (JPEC summary)
- Respondents commend Judge Farr’s respectful demeanor, describing him as kind, patient, and steady, while observers describe him as calm and professional.
- Both groups say that he is particularly neutral and ensures that participants in court are heard.
- One respondent said that he was “the perfect definition of how all Judge's should run their court.”
- Observers further appreciate the judge’s consideration and understanding of participants’ circumstances.
- All four observers report confidence that they would be treated fairly if they were to appear in Judge Farr’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 Paul Farr was first appointed as a judge in 2010. He currently serves in Sandy and Alta. Prior to his appointment Judge Farr was a partner in a Salt Lake City law firm with a civil trial practice. Judge Farr earned a J.D. from Brigham Young University, a B.S. in Criminal Justice from Weber State University and an A.S. in History from Dixie State University. He has been a member of the Utah State Bar since 2000. Judge Farr has served as a member of the Justice Court Board of Judges, the Utah Judicial Council and on many committees with the courts and the Utah Bar.
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).