You are here

History of District of Utah

Brief History

On July 16, 1894, the U.S. Congress organized Utah as one judicial district and authorized one judgeship for the U.S. District Court. The U.S. District Court for the District of Utah was assigned to the Eighth Circuit. On February 28, 1929, Congress assigned the District of Utah to the newly-organized Tenth Circuit.

In 1954, a temporary judgeship was added to Utah, and this position became permanent in 1961. In 1978, 1984, and 1990, additional judgeships were added for the District, totaling 5 authorized judgeships.

John Augustine Marshall, grand-nephew of Chief Justice John Curtis Marshall (1801- 1835), was the first U.S. District Court Judge in Utah. Tillman Davis Johnson succeeded Judge Marshall, with a tenure of 38 years on the bench in Utah. Judges Ritter, Christensen, and Anderson followed.

The U.S. District Court for the District of Utah was housed for many years in the Frank E. Moss U.S. Courthouse, named for Senator Frank Edward Moss who served as Utah representative in the U.S. Senate for 18 years from 1959 to 1976.

Construction on the new courthouse adjacent to the Frank Moss Courthouse began in 2011, and was completed in 2014. The U.S. District Court moved to the new courthouse in April, 2014.