--- title: "Don M. Torgerson | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/don-m-torgerson-presiding-judge-district-court-judge-utah-seventh-district-court-ut" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-08-02" --- # Don M. Torgerson Utah Seventh District Court · Presiding Judge, District Court Judge ## Profile - Court: Utah Seventh District Court - State: Utah - Role: Presiding Judge, District Court Judge - Service status: active - Last verified: 2026-07-26 ## Summary Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge. ## Biography ### Professional career - Presiding Judge of Utah’s Seventh District Court, serving since July 2018 - His responsibilities include overseeing the San Juan County Adult Treatment Court and acting as a statewide water judge - Utah House Speaker Mike Schultz and other lawmakers called the decision “deeply troubling” and demanded Torgerson’s resignation, arguing it failed to deliver justice for victims and eroded public trust - Judge Torgerson is currently the Presiding Judge of the Seventh District and Chair of the Board of District Court Judges ### Education ### Additional information - On August 5, 2025, Utah’s Judicial Conduct Commission dismissed multiple complaints against Torgerson “with a warning”, calling his comments “troubling but relatively minor” and finding no public sanction warranted. - The commission noted the judge accepted responsibility and was apologetic, but did not identify him by name in its summary. - Some lawmakers even suggested impeachment. - Utah House Speaker Schultz expressed disappointment with the outcome, maintaining that minimizing child rape was “unacceptable”. - He also serves on multiple judicial and bar association committees, including the Court’s Technology Advisory Subcommittee and the AI Legal Subcommittee. - He also acts as a statewide water judge. - During the hearing, the judge twice referred to the defendant’s “privilege” and said 112 days was “a lot of jail time for someone your age who comes from some level of privilege”. - He also stated he had “seen worse” than the images and videos the defendant had viewed. - He presides over cases in Grand, Carbon, Emery, and San Juan counties, and also chairs the Board of District Court Judges. ## Before you appear - Read the judge-specific standing order first when one is listed. - Check the docket and case orders for requirements that supersede broader guidance. - Confirm current remote-access and courtroom technology arrangements before the proceeding. ## Courtroom Rules ### electronic media coverage Scope: statewide Utah permits electronic media coverage of public proceedings under statewide UCJA procedures, including proceedings conducted by remote transmission. Evidence excerpt: This rule governs electronic media coverage of proceedings that are open to the public, including proceedings conducted by remote transmission. [UCJA Rule 4-401.01 Electronic media coverage of court proceedings](https://legacy.utcourts.gov/rules/view.php?type=ucja&rule=4-401.01) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ### media request process Scope: statewide Utah requires requests for electronic media coverage to be made through the court's public information office. Evidence excerpt: All requests to provide electronic media coverage shall be made to the court’s public information office. [UCJA Rule 4-401.01 Electronic media coverage of court proceedings](https://legacy.utcourts.gov/rules/view.php?type=ucja&rule=4-401.01) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ### portable electronic devices Scope: statewide Utah permits possession and use of portable electronic devices in courthouses unless limited by UCJA Rule 4-401.02 or by directive of the judge. Evidence excerpt: A person may possess and use a portable electronic device anywhere in a courthouse, except as limited by this rule or directive of the judge. [UCJA Rule 4-401.02 Possession and use of portable electronic devices](https://legacy.utcourts.gov/rules/view.php?type=ucja&rule=4-401.02) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ### recording photography transmission Scope: statewide Utah prohibits recording, photographing, or transmitting images or sound of court proceedings with portable electronic devices unless allowed under the electronic-media rule or another stated exception. Evidence excerpt: A person may not use a portable electronic device to record, photograph, or transmit images or sound of court proceedings, except in accordance with rule 4-401.01 or subsection (2)(D) above. [UCJA Rule 4-401.02 Possession and use of portable electronic devices](https://legacy.utcourts.gov/rules/view.php?type=ucja&rule=4-401.02) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ## Sources - [Official profile](https://www.utcourts.gov/en/courts/other-court-info/judges-bios/district-courts/seventh-district-court/don-m-torgerson.html) - [Official roster](https://www.utcourts.gov/en/courts/other-court-info/judges-bios/district-courts/seventh-district-court/don-m-torgerson.html) - [Utah State Courts official judicial roster](https://www.utcourts.gov/en/courts/other-court-info/judges-bios/district-courts/seventh-district-court/don-m-torgerson.html) - [UCJA Rule 4-401.01 Electronic media coverage of court proceedings](https://legacy.utcourts.gov/rules/view.php?type=ucja&rule=4-401.01) - [UCJA Rule 4-401.02 Possession and use of portable electronic devices](https://legacy.utcourts.gov/rules/view.php?type=ucja&rule=4-401.02) - [PRESIDING JUDGE DON M. TORGERSON](https://www.utcourts.gov/en/courts/other-court-info/judges-bios/district-courts/seventh-district-court/don-m-torgerson.html) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/don-m-torgerson-presiding-judge-district-court-judge-utah-seventh-district-court-ut", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/don-m-torgerson-presiding-judge-district-court-judge-utah-seventh-district-court-ut", "name": "Don M. Torgerson | KnowJudges", "description": "Don M. Torgerson, Utah Seventh District Court. 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Torgerson", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/don-m-torgerson-presiding-judge-district-court-judge-utah-seventh-district-court-ut" } ] } ] } ``` ## Published courtroom rules ### Shared court rules - [UCJA Rule 4-401.01 Electronic media coverage of court proceedings](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-66e618d152d2df53d660e797) — Scope is limited to the court class in the source claim. Shared court context only; case-type restrictions, exceptions, later amendments and case orders apply. This is not a personal preference or a complete rules inventory. [Official source](https://legacy.utcourts.gov/rules/view.php?type=ucja&rule=4-401.01). Collected 2026-07-26. - [UCJA Rule 4-401.02 Possession and use of portable electronic devices](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-5b4e5d61b330f356e2af7caf) — Scope is limited to the court class in the source claim. Shared court context only; case-type restrictions, exceptions, later amendments and case orders apply. This is not a personal preference or a complete rules inventory. [Official source](https://legacy.utcourts.gov/rules/view.php?type=ucja&rule=4-401.02). Collected 2026-07-26.