Salt Lake City, UT – Governor Spencer Cox has announced the nominations of Richard Pehrson and Richard Daynes to serve as judges in Third District Court. Both appointments are subject to approval by the Utah Senate. If approved, they will fill vacancies left by the retirements of Judge Richard McKelvie and Judge Andrew Stone. 

“Both Mr. Pehrson and Mr. Daynes have a proven track record of legal expertise and exemplary experience,” said Gov. Cox. “I’m grateful for their willingness to serve and I’m confident the people of Utah will benefit from their service.”

Rick Pehrson currently serves as deputy district attorney and supervising attorney at the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office, where he’s worked since 2014. He has prosecuted thousands of felony cases including two death penalty aggravated murder cases, over 30 other murder cases, multiple aggravated kidnapping, aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary, aggravated assault, financial, and narcotic crimes. Previously, Pehrson was an associate city prosecutor for Salt Lake City and taught evidence, property crimes, courtroom demeanor and civil disputes as a Police Officer Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.) instructor. He also taught classes on U.S. history and government to help prepare refugees and immigrants for the USCIS Naturalization test. Pehrson has a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Utah and a J.D. from George Mason University School of Law.

“I am deeply honored to be nominated to serve alongside the talented judges in the Third District Court,” Pehrson said. “I am committed to the fair application of justice in our legal system and, if I am fortunate enough to be confirmed by the Senate, I will work hard to create a courtroom where every litigant feels heard. I am grateful to Gov. Cox and Lt. Gov. Henderson for their faith in me and to a lifetime of mentors, friends and family for their unwavering support.”

Richard Daynes has worked in the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Department of Justice since 2002. He is currently chief of the Financial Litigation Section within the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Civil Division. He has also served in the Criminal Division as chief of the National Security Section, chief of the Asset Forfeiture/ Money Laundering Unit, chief of the Utah Identity Theft Task Force, and the International Coordinator. He has also recently returned from serving three years in Beijing China for the U.S. Department of Justice and State Department as the Resident Legal Advisor with a focus on stemming the flow of fentanyl into the United States, and strengthening law enforcement relations between the United States and China. Daynes has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Utah and a J.D. from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock Law School.

“I am deeply honored and humbled to receive this nomination and thank Gov. Cox for his confidence in me,” Daynes said. “I have spent most of my career in public service for the United States and the state of Utah and am devoted to our system of justice. I am so grateful for the opportunity to continue my career in public service in a judicial capacity. If I am fortunate enough to receive the Senate’s approval, I vow to serve the community with diligence, impartiality, and compassion in the service of justice and fairness.”