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ST. GEORGE — Utah Gov. Spencer J. Cox has appointed Eric Gentry to the 5th District Court, replacing retiring Judge Michael Westfall, according to a news release issued Wednesday morning by the governor’s office.
Gentry’s nomination requires confirmation by the Utah Senate.
“I appreciate Eric’s willingness to serve our great state in this new capacity,” Cox said in the press release. “His years of experience will be a tremendous asset as he takes on the responsibilities of this role, and I’m confident he will apply the law fairly.”
Gentry is a longtime prosecutor and currently serves as a Deputy County Attorney in Washington County where he’s been since 2007. Currently, he is assigned to the Special Victims Prosecution team, where he manages a caseload that consists exclusively of homicide, child and adult sexual offenses, serious physical abuse, and other high-profile cases.
Prior to this role, he served as a prosecutor for the city of Santa Clara, the city of Enterprise and was an assistant city attorney for the city of St. George. Gentry was also an associate at Snow, Jensen & Reese and an associate at Christopherson, Farris, White & Utley, both in St. George.
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“I am humbled and honored to be appointed by Gov. Cox to the Fifth District Court,” Gentry said in the announcement. “I am especially grateful for the opportunity to serve in the communities of my family’s heritage and home. If confirmed, I commit to the people of southern Utah that I will diligently fulfill the responsibilities and duties of my appointment, and will apply the law in a fair, impartial, and respectful manner.”
Gentry graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education, Child Development/Special Education from Southern Utah University and received his J.D. from the J. Reuben Clark Law School, Brigham Young University.
As a husband and father of five, he enjoys playing and coaching sports, music composition and enjoying recreation in Utah’s beautiful outdoors.