CHIEF JUSTICE MATTHEW B. DURRANT TO RETIRE FROM UTAH SUPREME COURT

Salt Lake City, Utah — Utah Supreme Court Chief Justice Matthew B. Durrant announced he will retire from the bench effective August 31, 2026, concluding more than 26 years of service on Utah’s highest court, including 14 years as chief justice – making him the longest-serving chief justice in Utah history.

Chief Justice Durrant was appointed to the Utah Supreme Court in January 2000 by Governor Michael O. Leavitt after serving as a judge in Utah’s Third District Court. He became chief justice in April 2012 and has since led the judiciary through significant modernization efforts, expansion of technology services, and initiatives focused on professionalism, access to justice, and public trust in the courts.

“Serving the people of Utah and working alongside dedicated judges and court employees across the state has been the honor of a lifetime,” Chief Justice Durrant said. “I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to help strengthen the administration of justice in Utah.”

During Chief Justice Durrant’s tenure, Utah became nationally recognized for innovation and modernization efforts aimed at improving public access to the justice system. Under his leadership, the Utah Supreme Court implemented regulatory reforms of the legal profession designed to increase the accessibility of legal services. As Chair of the Utah Judicial Council, Chief Justice Durrant also oversaw the creation of the Office of Fairness and Accountability, a community focused effort to make our judiciary more open, fair, and efficient.

“Chief Justice Durrant is a deeply respected jurist, consummate public servant, and genuinely extraordinary person” said Governor Spencer Cox. “For decades, he set aside private life and personal gain, devoting himself fully to the people of Utah and to the faithful administration of justice. His integrity, humility, and devotion to public service have left a lasting mark on our state, and Utah is better because he chose to serve.”

In 2024, Chief Justice Durrant was elected president of the Conference of Chief Justices, a national organization composed of the highest judicial officers from each state and U.S. territory, designed to strengthen and support state court systems.

Before his appointment to the Utah Supreme Court, Chief Justice Durrant served as a trial judge beginning in 1997. He earned his undergraduate degree from Brigham Young University and received his law degree from Harvard Law School in 1984.

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