The five nominees selected by the Third District Judicial Nominating Commission for the upcoming vacancy on the Third District Juvenile Court bring a range of experience in family law, child welfare, prosecution, and public defense. The vacancy stems from the retirement of Judge David L. Johnson, set for September 16, 2026.
Russell Minas has served as a domestic relations and mental health commissioner in the Third District Court since October 2018. He earned his juris doctorate from the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law in 1989 and spent 29 years in private practice focused on comprehensive family law services before his appointment. Minas previously served as executive director and trustee of the Legal Aid Society of Salt Lake, chaired the Executive Committee of the Utah State Bar’s Family Law Section, and received the Utah State Bar Family Law Attorney of the Year award. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and has held leadership roles on the Utah Judicial Council’s Standing Committee on Children and Family Law, the Court Forms Committee, and as co-chair of the Utah Child Support Guidelines Advisory Committee.
Christine Henneman currently works as an assistant attorney general in the Utah Attorney General’s Office. Public records indicate she has been licensed to practice law for approximately three years and maintains an office in Provo.
Carolyn Perkins serves as a juvenile public defender with the Weber County Attorney’s Office. She also operates the Law Offices of Carolyn Perkins, which provides representation in family law matters including divorce, custody, and juvenile court cases across Salt Lake, Uintah, and Duchesne counties. Earlier records show she has handled indigent defense contracts in Weber County.
Julie Sagers holds the position of senior attorney (previously listed as deputy district attorney) in the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office. She is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin Law School and has focused her career on prosecution work in the Salt Lake City area.
Lance Talakai works as a team leader at the Salt Lake Legal Defender Association. His professional profile lists him among the attorneys at the organization, which provides criminal defense services in Salt Lake County.
No public records of disciplinary actions or complaints against any of the five nominees appear in Utah State Bar publications or related searches. Information on specific case outcomes or high-profile litigation tied to the nominees remains limited in publicly available sources.
Governor Spencer J. Cox received the list of nominees on July 9, 2026. Under Utah’s judicial selection process, the governor typically has 30 to 60 days to review the nominations, conduct any additional vetting or interviews, and make an appointment to fill the vacancy before it takes effect in September.
