Courtroom Observer - State of Utah

Help evaluate judges. Be a part of keeping Utah voters informed and provide judges with feedback for improvement.

Court volunteer observers evaluate judges on procedural fairness principles. Research shows that perceived fairness has a positive impact on people in the court system and the community at large.

Our volunteer observers

• Complete training on court structure, calendaring and procedural fairness
• Observe judges in court (virtually or in-person) on their own for about 2 hours
• Reflect on their experience in written narrative (6 open-ended questions)
• Complete 6 or more evaluation reports per year

Our reports

• Are focused on procedural fairness principles (neutrality, respect, voice, trust)
• Are shared with judges, our commissioners who make recommendations, and voters. See our website, judges.utah.gov

Volunteers can benefit from:

• Understanding the court system in Utah
• Thoughtfully evaluating the performance of their government officers
• Promoting democratic values through citizen participation
• Learning about evidence-based practices that can effect real social change