By Alixel Cabrera | Reporter
Former Utah Supreme Court Justice Diana Hagen and 7th District Judge Don Torgerson know what is like to catch the ire of lawmakers. She resigned, he was censured.
After navigating those choppy waters, the embattled justice and judge spoke on a panel about what it’s like to serve in the judiciary and how judges insulate themselves from “public clamor” while making decisions.
In today’s Dispatch we break down the panel open to Utah lawyers, fire warnings ahead of July 4 and bipartisan hopes for a renewed focus on federalism.
“Because we’re not a representative, elected branch of government, we’re not designed to respond to public criticism or public clamor about certain issues.” — Former Utah Supreme Court Justice Diana Hagen during a panel about behind-the-bench experiences.
From left, retired 3rd District Judge Barry Lawrence, former Utah Supreme Court Justice Diana Hagen, 7th District Judge Don Torgerson, and 3rd District Judge Patricia Kuendig participate in a panel discussion at the Utah Law & Justice Center in Salt Lake City on June 29, 2026. (Photo courtesy of the Utah State Bar)
By Katie McKellar
Hagen and Torgerson were not directly asked about the controversies surrounding them, nor did they address them head on. They did, however, speak about the challenges of being judges, including refraining from engaging in politics.
The conversation, part of a continuing legal education program, came “at an important time for Utah’s judiciary,” according to the Utah State Bar, which noted that several judicial districts have seen “significant turnover in recent years, creating opportunities for experienced attorneys to pursue judicial service and helping ensure that Utah’s courts continue to be staffed by highly qualified, ethical and dedicated judges.”
A helicopter carrying a bucket to drop water over the Cottonwood Fire takes off in southern Utah. (Mike McMillian/U.S. Forest Service)
By Annie Knox
With so much of Utah on fire, state and federal officials must figure out where to dedicate finite resources like helicopters and airtankers that help to douse flames from above. Dispatchers and incident commanders are making decisions based on risk and safety.
State officials want Utahns to keep that in mind on July 4, when the United States tends to see a spike in human-caused wildfires. They’re urging “extreme caution” over the holiday weekend, saying the escalating fire danger is combining with drought to strain resources.
(Illustration by Alex Cochran for Stateline)
STATELINE
By Kevin Hardy and Jonathan Shorman
Aiming to oppose President Donald Trump’s agenda, who has sought to reset Washington’s relationship with the states, liberals, longtime proponents of a stronger central government, are now championing an ideology that evokes odious memories of slavery and segregation.
Many state leaders hope that a renewed focus on federalism could help lower the national political temperature. By shifting more political decisions to the states, they envision a nation less subject to blue-red swings that change the entire course of federal law enforcement, environmental policy and business regulation.
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