SALT LAKE CITY (July 23, 2026) — The Third District Judicial Nominating Commission has selected nominees for a vacancy on the Third District Court. The vacancy results from the retirement of Judge Elizabeth Hruby-Mills, effective Dec. 1, 2026.

The nominees for the vacancy are: Todd Bouton, assistant United States attorney, United States Attorney’s Office; Elizabeth Butler, shareholder and co-chair of the litigation department, Parsons Behle & Latimer; Matthew Janzen, Special Victims Unit division chief and deputy county attorney, Davis County Attorney’s Office; Meagan Rudd, partner and attorney, The Rudd Firm P.C., doing business as Rudd Cooper; and Lance Talakai, team leader, Salt Lake Legal Defender Association.

Written comments may be submitted to the Third District Judicial Nominating Commission at judicialvacancies@utah.gov or to the Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice, P.O. Box 142330, Salt Lake City, UT 84114-2330. The deadline for comments is noon Aug. 3, 2026.

The commission may request additional information or investigate the nominees after reviewing public comments. Following the public comment period, the nominees’ names will be submitted to Gov. Spencer J. Cox, who will have 30 days to make an appointment. The governor’s appointee is subject to confirmation by the Utah Senate.

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Contact:

Rob Carroll

Office of the Governor

(801) 243-2290, rcarroll@utah.gov