--- title: "Ryan D. Tenney | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/ryan-d-tenney-court-of-appeals-judge-utah-court-of-appeals-ut" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-08-02" --- # Ryan D. Tenney Utah Court of Appeals · Court of Appeals Judge ## Profile - Court: Utah Court of Appeals - State: Utah - Role: Court of Appeals Judge - Service status: active - Last verified: 2026-07-26 ## Summary Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge. ## Biography ### Professional career - Judge Ryan D. Tenney is an appointed judge of the Utah Court of Appeals, serving since June 2021 and re‐elected in 2024, with a background in law, public service, and legal education - Private Practice: Civil litigation associate at Howard, Lewis & Peterson in Provo - Clerkship: Judge Norman Jackson, Utah Court of Appeals - Public Service: Assistant Attorney General in Utah’s criminal appeals division (nearly a decade) Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Utah (over five years) ### Education - Academic Role: Adjunct professor at BYU Law School (2008–2021), teaching appellate brief writing, international LLM courses, and coaching the national moot court team - J. Reuben Clark Law School, Brigham Young University, with honors — J.D. (2003) - University of Utah — B.A. (2000) ### Additional information - In 2025, Judge Tenney emphasized civility and reason in legal advocacy, urging lawyers to focus on solid, rational arguments rather than aggressive rhetoric, and stressing that zealous representation can coexist with professionalism and humanity. - Re‐election: Retained in the November 5, 2024 retention election with 77.5% of the vote - Appointed to the Utah Court of Appeals in June 2021 by Governor Spencer J. Cox. - Appointed: June 23, 2021, by Utah Governor Spencer J. Cox - Confirmed: August 18, 2021, by the Utah State Senate - Judge Tenney graduated from the University of Utah in 2000 and BYU Law School in 2003, both with honors. - representing the U.S. in criminal appeals before the Tenth Circuit - Official bio: Utah State Courts — Judge Ryan D. Tenney - After graduating from law school, Judge Tenney clerked for Judge Norman Jackson of the Utah Court of Appeals. - At the time of his appointment to the bench, Judge Tenney had spent over five years as an Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Utah, where he represented the United States in criminal appeals before the Tenth Circuit. - He then spent several years practicing with a civil litigation firm in Provo, after which he spent almost a decade as an attorney in the criminal appeals division of the Utah Attorney General's Office. - Current chair of the judiciary’s standing education committee and judicial liaison to the Utah State Bar’s appellate practice section ## 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/court-of-appeals/ryan-d-tenney.html) - [Official roster](https://www.utcourts.gov/en/courts/other-court-info/judges-bios/appellate-courts/court-of-appeals/ryan-d-tenney.html) - [Utah State Courts official judicial roster](https://www.utcourts.gov/en/courts/other-court-info/judges-bios/appellate-courts/court-of-appeals/ryan-d-tenney.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) - [JUDGE RYAN D. TENNEY](https://www.utcourts.gov/en/courts/other-court-info/judges-bios/appellate-courts/court-of-appeals/ryan-d-tenney.html) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/ryan-d-tenney-court-of-appeals-judge-utah-court-of-appeals-ut", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/ryan-d-tenney-court-of-appeals-judge-utah-court-of-appeals-ut", "name": "Ryan D. Tenney | KnowJudges", "description": "Ryan D. Tenney, Utah Court of Appeals. Source-linked judicial identity, courtroom procedures, and presentation guidance.", "dateModified": "2026-08-02", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/#website" }, "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/ryan-d-tenney-court-of-appeals-judge-utah-court-of-appeals-ut#judge" } }, { "@type": "Person", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/ryan-d-tenney-court-of-appeals-judge-utah-court-of-appeals-ut#judge", "name": "Ryan D. 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Tenney", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/ryan-d-tenney-court-of-appeals-judge-utah-court-of-appeals-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.