Courtroom Observer - State of Utah

Hi! My name is Julie, and I work with the Utah Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission (JPEC). Our commission relies on trained volunteers to observe court hearings and help evaluate judges.

We would love for you to be part of providing judges with constructive feedback for improvement and helping keep Utah voters informed about judges on the ballot.

Volunteer observers evaluate judges based on procedural fairness principles, such as neutrality, respect, and giving people a voice in court. Research shows that when people perceive courts as fair, it improves trust in the justice system and benefits the community as a whole.

What Our Volunteers Do

• Complete a short training on court structure, calendaring, and procedural fairness
• Observe judges in court (virtually or in person) for about 2 hours per observation
• Reflect on their experience by answering six open-ended questions
• Complete six or more observations per year (very flexible scheduling)

What Our Reports Do

Volunteer observations focus on procedural fairness principles, including:

• Neutrality
• Respect
• Voice

These reports are shared with judges, the commissioners who make judicial performance recommendations, and voters. See judges.utah.gov.

Benefits of Volunteering

• Flexible scheduling—court hearings occur Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., but you choose the day and time you observe
• Learn more about how the Utah court system works
• Promote democratic values through citizen participation
• Help support evidence-based practices that improve the justice system
• Mileage reimbursement for travel more than 15 miles from home