Ten state court judges from across the state of Utah, a Utah Court of Appeals judge, and a Utah Supreme Court Justice will be receiving the Judicial Excellence Award during the Utah State Bar Litigation Section conference in Moab, Utah on Friday, November 10, 2017.
Honorees are:
Chief Justice Matthew B. Durrant, Utah Supreme Court
Judge Gregory K. Orme, Utah Court of Appeals
Judge Lyle R. Anderson, 7th District
Judge Samuel A. Chiara, 8th District
Judge Lynn W. Davis, 4th District
Judge Ryan M. Harris, 3rd District, now member of Utah Court of Appeals
Judge Thomas L. Kay, 2nd District
Judge Derek P. Pullan, 4th District
Judge Todd M. Shaughnessy, 3rd District
Presiding Judge W. Brent West, 2nd District
Judge G. Michael Westfall, 5th District
Presiding Judge Thomas L. Willmore, 1st District
The award is given by the Utah Bar’s Litigation Section. Attorney Heather L. Thuet is the impetus behind the awards which began in 2014. As Vice-Chair of the Litigation Section, Heather observed that Utah’s exceptional judges were not receiving the recognition that they deserved. She initiated and has continued to spearhead the program. Each year, the 2,000+ members of the Litigation Section (the largest section of the Utah Bar) cast their vote. This award is given to recognize the judges “who promote an orderly and civil litigation process and have demonstrated exemplary character and competence in performing their judicial duties.”
The Litigator’s Cup will also be awarded during the event by Michael A. Stahler, the section’s current Chair, to Jess A. Krannich. The Litigator’s Cup is a large trophy that is passed year to year to a member of the Litigation Section that has made significant contributions to advance the section’s mission. Each year, the names of the chair and recipient are added to the Cup.