Shall JASON CRAIG NELSON be retained in the office of Judge of the District Court of the Second Judicial District?
What does this office do?
- Deciding trials in the county
- Ruling on evidence and setting sentences in criminal cases
- Deciding family, probate, and civil disputes
Affects: Public Safety and Crime Control, Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties, Housing Affordability,
Jason Craig Nelson
Nonpartisan · Incumbent · Official site
Second District Court judge since January 2023, appointed by Governor Spencer Cox. He was a deputy Davis County Attorney from 2008 to 2023, including as primary domestic violence prosecutor and as General Felonies Division Chief.
Track record
Track record — General
General · 1 record
Was confirmed by the Utah Senate, 22 to 0, as a judge of the Second District Court, after Governor Spencer Cox appointed him in January 2023. He had been a Davis County prosecutor since 2008.
February 17, 2023
Source: le.utah.gov
Track record — Impartiality
Impartiality · 1 favorable
Received a 12-0 vote from the Utah Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission, which found he meets its standards, in the report it shows voters for his 2026 retention question. He passed all 8 minimum standards, and 97% of surveyed court users recommended keeping him. The report said he could rule in a more timely way.
October 15, 2026Favorable on Impartiality
Source: judges.utah.gov
Track record — Legal Competence
Legal Competence · 1 favorable
Received a 12-0 vote from the Utah Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission, which found he meets its standards, in the report it shows voters for his 2026 retention question. He passed all 8 minimum standards, and 97% of surveyed court users recommended keeping him. The report said he could rule in a more timely way.
October 15, 2026Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: judges.utah.gov
Sources: vote.utah.gov2