SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, March 29, 2022 (Gephardt Daily) — Gov. Spencer Cox on Tuesday nominated state appellate court judge and longtime federal prosecutor Diana Hagen to serve on the Utah Supreme Court.
If confirmed by the Utah Senate, Hagen will fill the vacancy left by the retirement of Justice Constandinos Himonas on March 1.
“Judge Hagen’s distinguished career as an appellate court judge and federal prosecutor, as well as her leadership and service in numerous professional and community groups, have well-prepared her for this moment,” Gov. Cox said in a news release announcing the appointment. “We are delighted she is willing to take on a new challenge and know she will serve the people of Utah with integrity.”
Hagen was appointed to the Utah Court of Appeals in June 2017 by former Gov. Gary Herbert. Prior to her appointment to the Court of Appeals, she was an assistant U.S. attorney for Utah, according to the news release.
During her 17 years as a federal prosecutor, Hagen handled hundreds of appeals and high-profile trials, including the Elizabeth Smart kidnapping case and the murder of Millard County sheriff’s deputy Josie Greathouse Fox, the release states.
“I am grateful to Gov. Cox for the confidence he has placed in me and especially honored to have been selected from an outstanding group of nominees,” Hagen said in the news release. “I am mindful of the great responsibility and public trust that comes with this appointment. If confirmed by the Utah Senate, I will work hard to be deserving of that trust.”
The Utah Senate Judicial Confirmation Committee is seeking public comment on Hagen’s appointment to the Utah Supreme Court. Those who wish to comment should contact Jerry Howe at the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel by 5 p.m. Monday, April 11, at the Utah State Capitol, House Building, Suite W210, PO Box 145210, Salt Lake City, Utah 84114-5210. All statements should include the respondent’s name, telephone number and mailing address.
The Senate Judicial Confirmation Committee will hold a public hearing before issuing a recommendation to the full Senate.
“The Senate’s confirmation vote is an important step in the process,” Sen. Todd Weiler, R-Woods Cross, chairman of the Senate Judicial Confirmation Committee, stated in a news release. “It’s a responsibility we take very seriously. I look forward to meeting with Judge Hagen and learning how her recent experience as an appellate judge has prepared her for the Utah Supreme Court.”
According to her Utah Courts bio, Hagen received her law degree from the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law, where she later served as an adjunct professor.
Hagen grew up in Ogden and still resides in the Ogden area with her husband, Tobin, and their two children, Kaira and Archer.
