Notice of Comment Period for Reappointment of Incumbent Magistrate Judge

The current term of United States Magistrate Judge Cecilia M. Romero, who serves in the Orrin G. Hatch United States Courthouse in Salt Lake City, Utah, will expire on June 6, 2027. As required, the Court has appointed a Merit Selection Panel to consider whether to reappoint Magistrate Judge Romero to an additional eight-year term.

The duties of a full-time magistrate judge in the District of Utah include conducting preliminary proceedings in criminal cases; handling the trial and disposition of most misdemeanor cases; conducting pretrial and evidentiary proceedings referred by district judges; conducting settlement conferences; and conducting the trial and disposition of civil cases upon consent of the litigants.

Members of the bar and the public are invited to submit comments for the panel’s consideration as to whether the panel should recommend to the Court that United States Magistrate Judge Cecilia M. Romero be reappointed for another term. All comments will be treated as confidential and will be viewed by only the panel and the district judges.

Comments must be received by November 6, 2027, and should be submitted by email to UTD_Merit_Panel@utd.uscourts.gov, or to the following address:

Notice of Fraudulent Text Scam

Beginning April 14, 2026, a fraudulent text message purporting to be from the “Utah District Court” was sent to members of the public. The message notifies recipients of an outstanding ticket, fine, or hearing appearance, and threatens a warrant if they do not comply. Although these texts have the appearance of being legitimate—including a case number, an assigned judge, and a link for payment—they are completely fraudulent. The U.S. District Court does not text or call members of the public with these types of notifications. Recipients are strongly warned not to open any links or call any phone numbers included in these text messages. For more information, visit the court's guide on Avoiding Scams Claiming Court Authority.

Important Notice: Online Violation Payment Website Spoofing

A fake website is currently impersonating the Central Violations Bureau (CVB) website and may attempt to collect personal or financial information fraudulently. The only official website for paying a U.S. District Court Violation Notice online is www.cvb.uscourts.gov. If you are paying online, please verify the web address carefully. Report any suspicious activity to the Central Violations Bureau at 800-827-2982.