--- title: "Matthew B. Durrant | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/matthew-b-durrant-chief-justice-utah-supreme-court-ut" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-10-09" --- # Matthew B. Durrant Utah Supreme Court · Chief Justice ## Profile - Court: Utah Supreme Court - State: Utah - Role: Chief Justice - Service status: former - Last verified: 2026-08-22 ## Summary Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge. ## Biography ### Professional career - Judge, Utah Supreme Court, 2000-present - 2012–2026: Chief Justice, the longest-serving in Utah history - Retired Chief Justice of the Utah Supreme Court, serving from 2012 until August 31, 2026, after 26 years on the court and 14 years as chief justice. - 2000–2026: Justice of the Utah Supreme Court, appointed by Governor Michael O. Leavitt - In summary: Matthew B. Durrant is remembered for his decades of judicial service, leadership in modernizing Utah’s courts, and commitment to public trust in the justice system ### Education - Harvard Law School in — J.D. (1984) - Harvard University — J.D. ### Additional information - Practitioner, 1999-1999 - prof, 1999-1999 - Born March 27, 1957 in Fort Chaffee, Arkansas, Durrant grew up in Utah and Kentucky before attending Brigham Young University, where he obtained a double major in American Studies and Japanese in 1981. - Date of birth: 1925-01-01 - Oversaw modernization initiatives, court accessibility reforms, and the creation of the Office of Fairness and Accountability. - held the role of Chair of the Utah Judicial Council, led committees on professionalism, technology, and the Code of Judicial Conduct. - After a clerkship with Judge Monroe G. McKay on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, Durrant joined the Salt Lake City law firm Parr, Brown, Gee, & Loveless (now Parr, Waddoups, Brown, Gee, & Loveless) as a civil litigator and later shareholder. - He also taught constitutional family law at BYU’s J. Reuben Clark Law School. - Birth place: Fort Chaffee Maneuver Training Center ## 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/appellate-courts/supreme-court.html) - [Official roster](https://www.utcourts.gov/en/courts/other-court-info/judges-bios/appellate-courts/supreme-court.html) - [Utah State Courts official judicial roster](https://www.utcourts.gov/en/courts/other-court-info/judges-bios/appellate-courts/supreme-court.html) - [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/5852/matthew-b-durrant/) - [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) - [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/5852/matthew-b-durrant/) - [Wikidata: Matthew B. Durrant](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6790100) - [Nominees announced for two Utah Supreme Court vacancies](https://governor.utah.gov/press/nominees-announced-for-two-utah-supreme-court-vacancies-2/) - [Utah Supreme Court Justices](https://www.utcourts.gov/en/courts/other-court-info/judges-bios/appellate-courts/supreme-court.html) - [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/5852/matthew-b-durrant/) - [Wikidata: Matthew B. Durrant](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6790100) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/matthew-b-durrant-chief-justice-utah-supreme-court-ut", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/matthew-b-durrant-chief-justice-utah-supreme-court-ut", "name": "Matthew B. Durrant | KnowJudges", "description": "Matthew B. Durrant, Utah Supreme Court. 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