Utah Expands State Supreme Court Amid Redistricting Appeal

Governor signs bill adding two new justices as Republican lawmakers voice frustration over court rulings

Jan. 31, 2026 at 10:47pm

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Utah Governor Spencer Cox has signed a bill that expands the state's Supreme Court from five justices to seven, a move that comes as Republican lawmakers have expressed frustration over a string of defeats before the tribunal. Advocates argued the change would improve the court's efficiency, but legal experts warned it could have the opposite effect and set a dangerous precedent amid tensions between the branches of government.

Why it matters

The timing of the court expansion is seen as suspicious, as the state legislature has been preparing an appeal of a ruling that gave Democrats a stronger chance of picking up one of Utah's four Republican-held congressional seats in the upcoming fall elections. The new justices could be in place when the court decides the fate of the congressional map, potentially shifting the balance of power.

The details

The bill, which received approval from more than two-thirds of legislators, took effect immediately after the governor signed it, allowing him to bypass a several-month waiting period to start adding justices. In Utah, justices are appointed by the governor and approved by the state Senate. Most states have five or seven Supreme Court justices, but a few have nine. The governor has denied that the policy is politically motivated, noting that Republican governors and senators have made all recent appointments.

  • On January 31, 2026, Utah Governor Spencer Cox signed the bill expanding the state Supreme Court from five justices to seven.
  • The Legislature has been preparing an appeal of a ruling that gave Democrats a strong shot at picking up one of Utah's four Republican-held congressional seats in the fall.

The players

Spencer Cox

The Republican governor of Utah who signed the bill expanding the state Supreme Court.

Casey Snider

The Republican House Majority Leader and sponsor of the bill to expand the state Supreme Court.

John Pearce

A recently retired associate chief justice of the Utah Supreme Court who expressed doubts that the expansion would make the court more efficient.

Matthew Durrant

The current Chief Justice of the Utah Supreme Court, who told legislators the court had 'essentially no backlog' and urged them to add judges to lower courts instead.

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What they’re saying

“Seven sets of eyes reviewing the most complex and difficult issues our state has ever faced is better than having only five sets of eyes.”

— Casey Snider, Republican House Majority Leader (ksgf.com)

“The more sets of comments you have to take into account, the longer the process takes. If what the Legislature is hoping to do is speed up the work of the court, it's going to be counterproductive.”

— John Pearce, Recently retired associate chief justice (ksgf.com)

What’s next

The new justices could be in place when the court decides the fate of the congressional map in Utah's upcoming appeal.

The takeaway

This move by Utah's Republican-controlled government to expand the state Supreme Court raises concerns about the independence of the judiciary and the potential for political influence over the redistricting process, as the new justices could play a pivotal role in deciding the state's congressional map.