Retention election · Nov 3, 2026
Todd M. Shaughnessy
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 TODD SHAUGHNESSY be retained in the office of Judge of the District Court of the Third Judicial District?” · On every Salt Lake County ballot, including Taylorsville.
94% of survey respondents recommend Judge Shaughnessy 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: Integrity & Judicial Temperament, Administrative Skills
- Consistent with peers: Legal Ability, Procedural Fairness
What survey respondents and observers said (JPEC summary)
- Respondents describe Judge Shaughnessy as competent, experienced, and attentive to those in court.
- They, along with courtroom observers, value his preparedness, respectful treatment of those in court, and his professional temperament.
- Observers further appreciate the judge’s deliberate, careful approach to the legal process.
- All four observers report confidence that they would be treated fairly if they were to appear in Judge Shaughnessy’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 Todd Shaughnessy was appointed to the Third District Court in 2011 by Governor Gary Herbert. Judge Shaughnessy graduated from the University of Utah College of Law, clerked for the Utah Supreme Court, and was a partner at Snell & Wilmer in Salt Lake City, prior to his appointment. Judge Shaughnessy is a member of the Utah Judicial Council, the governing body for Utahs judiciary, and a member of the Utah Judicial Conduct Commission. Judge Shaughnessy received the Judicial Excellence Award from the Utah State Bars Litigation Section in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019. He is a fellow in the American Bar Foundation, a member of the American and Utah State Bar associations, past president of the Salt Lake County Bar Association, and a Master of the Bench in the David K. Watkiss Sutherland Inn of Court.
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).