Former Utah Supreme Court Chief Justice Gordon Hall dies at 98
SALT LAKE CITY () — Gordon R. Hall, the former Chief Justice of the Utah Supreme Court, passed away on June 1, 2025, the Utah Judiciary announced on Wednesday. He was 98 years old.
Hall, who served as the Chief Justice from 1981 to 1993, was appointed to the Utah Supreme Court in 1977. While serving on the bench, Hall strengthened judicial independence through constitutional reform. He also led Utah's Judicial Council, served as President of the Conference of Chief Justices and chaired the board of the National Center for State Courts. He received the Distinguished Jurist Award in 1988 for his contributions to the judiciary.
'Chief Justice Gordon R. Hall was a visionary leader whose commitment to fairness, judicial integrity and the rule of law shaped our courts for generations. His legacy endures in the independence of Utah's judiciary and the many lives he influenced,' current Chief Justice Matthew Durrant said.
Prior to his time serving on Utah's highest court, Hall began a private practice in Tooele and served as a Tooele County Attorney and a Third District Court judge. In 2007, the Tooele County Courthouse was named in his honor. The Utah Judiciary said it is the only courthouse in Utah to be named after a judge.
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Reporters Elena Perry, Thomas Clouse, Emry Dinman and Corbin Vanderby contributed to this report. Elena Perry's work is funded in part by members of the Spokane community via the Community Journalism and Civic Engagement Fund. This story can be republished by other organizations for free under a Creative Commons license. For more information on this, please contact our newspaper's managing editor.
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She stopped to help at a car crash and ended up cuffed. Now her lawsuit will head to trial
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