Kraig Powell

Survey Respondent Recommendation: 91% of survey respondents recommend Judge Powell for retention

Performance Measures: Survey scores are analyzed for statistical significance to determine if the judge scored well above, above, consistent with, below, or well below their district court peers.

Consistent with peers: Legal Ability, Integrity & Judicial Temperament, Administrative Skills, Procedural Fairness

Respondent and Observer Feedback: Respondents appreciate Judge Powell’s judicial temperament, particularly his kindness, compassion, and integrity, and they, along with courtroom observers, describe him as respectful and professional. Both groups value his thorough, methodical approach to reviewing information and his taking time to make careful decisions. Both further underscore his impartiality, with respondents calling him fair and observers saying he takes participants rights seriously. Survey results indicate that the judge should be more decisive, and comments indicate that he should work on timeliness and avoid calendar delays. All four observers report confidence that they would be treated fairly if they were to appear in Judge Powell’s court.

Appointed in 2016, Judge Kraig Powell holds M.A., J.D., and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Virginia. He worked as a law clerk at the Texas Court of Appeals and the Illinois Supreme Court and then practiced law in Wasatch and Summit counties, where he was city attorney for Midway and Francis. He served as a legislator in the Utah House of Representatives from 2009 through 2016. He was president of the Heber Valley Rotary Club and chair of the Wasatch Community Foundation. Judge Powell is a statewide Water Law Judge and leads the Utah County Veterans Treatment Court. During 2024 and 2025, he was Presiding Judge of the Fourth District Court.