SALT LAKE CITY—Gov. Spencer Cox has nominated Alex Goble, a prosecutor in the San JuanCountyAttorney’sOffice, as a juvenile court judge in the 6th District, which includes Sanpete County.
Besides his work as a prosecutor, Goble is the city attorney for Monticello City in San Juan County.
He spent seven years in the Utah Attorney General’s Office representing the Division of Child and Family Services in child welfare, abuse, neglect and dependency proceedings.
He also served in the fraud division prosecuting insurance, property and casualty, health care benefits, communications, identity and fiduciary frauds as well as racketeering. He also worked as a prosecutor for Salt Lake City.
The Utah Legislature created the opening during the 2022 session. Geographically, the 6th District is the largest in the state and includes Sanpete, Sevier, Wayne, Piute, Garfield and Kane counties. Currently, a single juvenile court judge, Brody Keisel of Manti, serves the whole territory.
If Cox’s appointment of Goble is confirmed by the Utah Senate, he will have to withdraw from the San Juan County race. This has prompted Ivens to mount a write- in campaign for the office. There
appears to be no opposition. Goble says that if he is con- firmed, he and his family will most likely move to Sevier County where he grew up.
The Utah Senate has issued an invitation for public comment on Goble’s nomination. Comments must be received by the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel by 5 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 15.
Electronic comments may be emailed to senatejudicialnominees@le.utah.gov. Written comments can be mailed to Utah Senate Judicial Confirmation Committee at the Utah State Capitol, Suite W210, P.O. Box 145210, Salt Lake City, Utah 84114-5210.
After the comment period closes, the Senate Judicial Confirmation Committee will hold a public hearing and then issue its recommendation on the confirmation to the full Senate.