Steve Nelson Appointed to Third District Court

Division of Public Affairs adjunct faculty member Stephen L. Nelson was appointed to the Third District Court in November 2023 by Governor Spencer J. Cox and has served as a district court judge since January 2024. Judge Nelson is assigned to the West Jordan courthouse, presiding over a docket primarily comprised of criminal cases filed by either the Utah Attorney General's Office or the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office, alongside a selection of civil cases encompassing various matters such as divorces, landlord/tenant disputes, contract disagreements, and civil debt collection. Before assuming the bench, Judge Nelson held the position of Assistant United States Attorney, serving nearly seven years with the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Utah, specializing as the Anti-Gang Coordinator and contributing to the Organized Crime and National Security Sections. Prior to federal tenure, he worked as a Deputy District Attorney at the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office, focusing on prosecuting narcotics violations, violent crimes involving gang members, and homicide cases.

Judge Nelson's academic career includes teaching undergraduate classes at the University of Utah since 2004, transitioning to teaching Master of Public Policy (MPA) classes in 2010, predominantly covering Administrative Theory or Public Administration and Law. His doctoral dissertation delves into the evolution of sovereign immunity doctrine in federal district courts, and have authored numerous publications in law reviews, particularly exploring the intersection of immigration and education in public policy and other related subjects.