The Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission (JPEC) was established by the Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission Act in 2008. Its goals are to collect and disseminate valid information about each judges performance so that voters may make informed decisions about whether or not to retain that judge in office, to provide judges with useful feedback about their performance so that they may become better judges and to thereby improve the quality of the judiciary as a whole and to promote public accountability of the judiciary while ensuring that the judiciary continues to operate as an independent branch of government.

The Commission is responsible for the evaluation and retention recommendations for the 219 judges and justices who will state for retention election in the State of Utah beginning with those who stand for retention election in 2012. These include Utah Supreme Court justices, Utah Court of Appeals judges, district court judges, juvenile court judges, and both municipal and county justice court judges.

The Commission consists of 13 members. The Utah Supreme Court and the Governor each appoint four members; the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives each appoint two members; and the executive director of the Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice also serves on the Commission. No more than seven members may be attorneys. No more than half the members appointed by each branch of government may be of the same political party.

Reports are compiled from survey questionnaires received from those attorneys, jurors, and court staff who have worked with or interacted with each judge standing for retention election.