Scope: Federal (Utah)
Branch: Legislative
Severity: Red
Date occurred: February 7, 2026
Phase: Feb 2026
Following a Utah judge's 2025 ruling ordering a new congressional map that included a Democratic-leaning district after finding the legislature's map violated the state constitution, the Utah Legislature passed a bill expanding the state Supreme Court from five to seven justices and the Court of Appeals as well, alongside additional judiciary restructuring bills. Gov. Spencer Cox signed the court expansion bill in early February 2026 over the objections of sitting Chief Justice Matthew Durrant, who warned more justices could lead to more deliberation and further delay. The Utah State Bar publicly stated the legislative session's judiciary bills "would fundamentally remake the state's judicial system" and compromise separation of powers.
Constitutional basis: Legislative restructuring of judicial branch size in apparent response to an unfavorable ruling, over the sitting Chief Justice's explicit objection
Sources
- State Court Report
- Deseret News
- KSL.com