Fifth District Court Judge G. Michael Westfall was recently awarded the Judicial Excellence Award.
Westfall, who serves Washington, Iron and Beaver counties, received the award along with eight other District Court judges. The award was given by the Bar’s Litigation Section in order to recognize judges who have made an impact within the counties they represent.
“These are judges who put everyone’s interests above their own,” said Heather Thuet, chairwoman of the Litigation Section of the Utah State Bar. “They are committed to the protection of the law and advancement of justice.”
Thuet said this is the first time the award has been given out and that it will become an annual event. She said the litigation section had been in talks about creating the award for several years.
The litigation section across Utah consists of about 3,000 members. It is the largest division of the Utah Bar. Members were contacted with a survey asking to select the recipients in the different judicial districts who they felt best exemplified exceptional jurists, Thuet said.
“I was not expecting the award,” Westfall said. “When I saw the list of the other judges who were receiving this award I was flattered to be mentioned in the same sentence with them.”
Westfall has been a part of the 5th District Court for about 12 years. He was a small claims judge before applying to the bench. He said part of his reason for pursuing this career was because of his respect for judges.
Thuet said within the next couple of hours the request was sent out around 400 votes were returned.
To ensure the state was well represented, the litigation section allocated the survey by geographical location. Theut said because districts differ in size, they wanted to ensure each judge was given a fair chance to receive votes.
Westfall was presented with the award on July 31 during the Judges & Lawyers Mixer at the Summer Convention in Sun Valley, Idaho. In addition to Judge Thomas Willmoreand Judge Lyle Anderson, Westfall received the highest number of votes in in the 1st, 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th Districts.
The full list of award recipients included 1st District Court Judge Thomas Willmore; 2nd District Court Judge Glen Dawson and Judge Thomas Kay.
3rd District Court Judge Royal Hansen and Judge Todd Shaughnessy; 4th District court Judge David Mortensen; 5th District Court Judge G. Michael Westfall and Judge Derek Pullan; and 7th District Court Judge Lyle Anderson.
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