Senate panel backs confirmation of May

The Senate Judicial Confirmation Committee favorably recommended Mark W. May to serve as a juvenile court judge in the 3rd District Court, based in Tooele. The recommendation was made to the full Utah Senate, which must confirm. The positive support came after questioning by the panel of senators.

May grew up in Wyoming, served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Switzerland and attended Brigham Young University. After graduation he worked for a short time before attending law school at the University of Utah.

He clerked for a small law firm and then worked for the Guardian Ad Litem's office for just over a year. He then applied to work for the Child Protection Division where he became division chief.

He assisted in rewriting the statute on how children are taken into the Division of Child and Family Services, and said that "success is not termination of parental rights."

After Senate confirmation, expected next Wednesday, May will move with his wife and three children from Davis County to Tooele.

"It's important for a judge to be part of the community where he serves," May said.