In 7 months’ time, the Utah Supreme Court will have three vacancies. The 12 nominees to fill two of them are all white males, most of them having attended the same law school (BYU). The third, that of chief justice, is likely to be of the same demographic. Not a single woman, not a single person of color, not a single non-Mormon.
This does not reflect the state’s population, which is currently estimated to be only half male, only three-fourths white, and less than 42% active LDS (and declining).
Why such discrimination? Could it have something to do with those doing the nominating, who share similar demographics?
In any case, how are we citizens supposed to have any confidence in a judicial system that’s so unrepresentative of us? This is Trump-like regression at a time when Utah, like the nation itself, is becoming more and more diverse.
Tom Huckin, Salt Lake City