Summit County prosecutor Janet Elledge started trying cases in the Justice Court three years ago, and soon she’ll be sitting on the other side of the bench.
The County Council on Wednesday unanimously approved the appointment of Elledge to take over for Judge Shauna Kerr, who retires at the end of December. She was appointed to the Justice Court in 2009.
Summit County Manager Shayne Scott recommended the prosecutor out of two other candidates, Wasatch County and Lindon City Justice Court Judge Brook Sessions and defense attorney Mark Flores.
“I really want to continue what Judge Kerr has put in place there. She was a real problem solver. Really the goal is just to solve problems. That will continue to make Summit County the great community that it is,” Elledge said.
She joined the County Attorney’s Office in December 2020 after a stint as the prosecution supervisor in West Jordan. Elledge also worked as a defense attorney for several years, including on the team that represented Jorge Benvenuto, who was charged with capital homicide after shooting two teenagers near Little Dell Reservoir in 1996.
But the soon-to-be judge didn’t always dream of practicing law.
Elledge majored in broadcast journalism in college and intended to go into news, but she decided to take the Law School Admission Test with a friend. Only one of them ended up studying it, and Elledge graduated from the University of Utah’s S.J. Quinney College of Law in 1992. That’s also where she met County Attorney Margaret Olson.
Her first postgraduate job was working at the Salt Lake Legal Defender Association, which sparked a new dream for Elledge as she watched patient judges rule with dignity.
Judge Kerr has been a recent inspiration for her, too. Elledge prosecuted cases in the Justice Court for two years and noticed the relationships Kerr developed with the various defendants.
Kerr created specialized, de facto drug court, mental health court or veterans court services when there weren’t otherwise resources available, for example. Elledge said the practice has changed people’s lives for the better, and it’s something she hopes to continue after she takes the gavel next month.
Justice Court deals with minor crimes such as infractions or Class B and C misdemeanors. Cases could include first-time charges for driving under the influence or domestic violence as well as traffic offenses.
The Third District Court, meanwhile, prosecutes felonies and Class A misdemeanors. It also sees less foot traffic. Olson said the County Attorney’s Office is on track to file 663 cases in Third District Court this year.
There are around 720 cases filed each month in Justice Court, which is about a 40% increase over four years on the Summit County side. Park City cases are heard on a separate day of the week. Elledge dismissed claims the court is about 770 cases behind and said there’s a very efficient system in place.
She sees the Justice Court as the face of the judicial system because it’s where most people interact with a judge for the first time. She sees that position as an ambassador for Summit County.
“Nobody wants to go to court. … In the Justice Court, I think the judge has a duty to not only be fair and impartial, but to make it as positive an experience as it can be for the defendant because that really is where they develop their opinion of the justice court system,” Elledge said.
Unlike lawyers, judges are expected to only consider the evidence that’s been presented. Elledge said she has the ability to listen carefully and not be influenced by personalities because she’s spent time practicing both sides. This will help her maintain impartiality.
Elledge is inspired to help solve problems as a judge the way Kerr has — by helping reduce criminal offenses and help people succeed by providing support for substance abuse or mental health issues.
“Janet is well known to me to be a person of the highest personal integrity and great legal ability,” Olson said. “While we in the County Attorney’s Office will miss her, we celebrate her elevation to this position and wish her all the best in her new role.”
The prosecutor will have to go through five days of judicial training and then have her appointment certified by the Utah Judicial Council. Elledge expects to take the bench in mid-January.
She said she’s honored and humbled by the opportunity. Members of the County Council indicated the bar is high for Elledge, though they said they think she’s up to the task.