Salt Lake City, UT – Alliance for a Better Utah today called on Utah Supreme Court Justice Michael Menssen to recuse himself from League of Women Voters v. Utah State Legislature, otherwise known as Utah’s redistricting litigation, and every related proceeding over Proposition 4 and Utah’s Congressional maps.
Katie Matheson, executive director for Alliance for a Better Utah, issued the following statement:
“Utahns passed Proposition 4 because they wanted fair maps drawn under fair rules. They deserve fair judges deciding whether those rules get followed.
“As a private citizen, Michael Menssen had every right to sign that petition. But he is not a private citizen anymore. He now sits on the court deciding the very lawsuit that seeks to enforce Prop 4, and he has already heard arguments in the case. When a judge has personally signed on to one side of a fight, the public has every reason to question his impartiality.
“This is not about whether Justice Menssen is a capable lawyer or a decent person. It is about whether Utahns can trust the outcome. Justice Nielsen has already recused and stepped aside from this case, and the court brought in another judge to fill his seat. Justice Menssen should do the same.”
Better Utah’s call for Justice Menssen’s recusal follows ABC 4 reporting that Menssen signed the Utah Republican Party’s petition to repeal Prop 4 on February 12, 2026, seven months before Gov. Spencer Cox appointed him to the Supreme Court of Utah. Menssen heard arguments on October 5, 2026 in a case brought by the redistricting plaintiffs challenging the Legislature’s attempt to move the lawsuit to a new three-judge constitutional panel. He did not recuse.
Utah’s Code of Judicial Conduct Rule 2.11 requires a judge to step aside “in any proceeding in which the judge’s impartiality might reasonably be questioned.” Better Utah is asking Justice Menssen to withdraw from the case before the Court rules on the constitutionality of the removal of the case to the three-judge panel, and asking the court to explain publicly how his recusal was evaluated and why he chose not to recuse before hearing the arguments.
###
Alliance for a Better Utah is a nonprofit that holds politicians accountable and advocates for progressive policies that make Utah an even better place. The organization improves the lives of all Utahns through advocacy, transparency, and accountability in Utah politics, policy, and government. More information at www.betterutah.org.
