Douglas J. Nielsen will appear on the general election ballot in a nonpartisan retention vote for his seat on Utah's Fourth Judicial District Juvenile Court. Voters will decide whether to keep Nielsen on the bench during the Nov. 3, 2026, general election, according to a October 20 report.
Nielsen was appointed to the position on July 27, 2016, by Governor Gary R. Herbert. The appointment filled a new seat created by the Utah State Legislature during the 2016 general session, with subsequent confirmation from the Utah State Senate.
Before his appointment, Nielsen served as a judge at the Lehi City Justice Court and the Alpine/Highland City Justice Court from January 2013 to September 2016. His legal career also includes co-founding the Petro & Nielsen Law Office, where he practiced from 2010 to 2013, and working as an associate attorney at Young, Kester & Petro.
Nielsen holds a bachelor's degree from Utah State University, earned in 2004, and a law degree from Oklahoma City University from 2007. His professional experience includes internships at the Utah County Public Defenders Association and the Oklahoma County Public Defenders Association.
He has served on the Board of Justice Court Judges and the Board of Juvenile Court Judges, and currently chairs the Fourth District Child Welfare Interagency Committee. Upon his appointment in 2016, Nielsen stated that he believed the greatest service in the legal profession is to the youth and families of the community.
The retention race is nonpartisan. No specific issue responses or policy positions from Nielsen were included in the research packet for this retention election.
