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County nominating commissions have announced the appointment of judges to fill vacancies in justice courts in Sanpete and Kane counties.

Mark Kay McIff will fill the Fairview City Justice Court vacancy, replacing Judge Ivo Peterson who will retire July 1.

Gary Johnson will fill the Kane County Justice Court vacancy, replacing Judge F. Kirk Heaton who will retire June 30.

McIff is currently the Justice Court judge in the Sevier and Piute County Justice Courts, and is an attorney who practices law in the south central Utah area, according to a news release from the state Administrative Office of the Courts..

McIff has held positions has Piute County Attorney, Wayne County Attorney, Deputy Sevier County Attorney, Deputy Garfield County Attorney, city prosecutor for several cities in the district, and chief criminal prosecutor for the Wasatch County Attorney's Office in Heber City, according to the news release. He has served as the chair of the Sevier County Republican Party. He resides in Richfield with his wife, Stacee, and two daughters.

Johnson is a fourth generation Kane County native and has resided in Kanab for the majority of his life. Johnson graduated from Kanab High School and received a BA degree from Southern Utah University, according to the news release. Johnson served as judge for the Kanab City Justice Court from 1998 until the court was dissolved in 2014. Since then he has served as Judge Pro Tem for the Kane County Justice Court. He also served a two-year term as the tribal Judge for the Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians.