SALT LAKE CITY —A 2nd District Court judge is among seven nominees being considered for a vacancy on the U.S. Court of Appeals bench.

The position will replace Judge Pamela Greenwood who will retire Dec. 31, 2009.

Judge Davis M. Connors was appointed to the 2nd District by Gov. Jon M. Huntsman, Jr., and took office in January, 2008.

Judge Connors earned a law degree from Brigham Young University’s J. Reuben Clark Law School where he was a member of the Law Review and graduated magna cum laude in 1979. He received a bachelor’s degree from Yale University in 1974.

Connors was a partner in the Litigation Department of Chapman and Cutler LLP prior to his appointment to the bench. He served as mayor of Farmington from 2002-2006.

Other nominees are listed as follows: Judge Michele Christiansen, of Salt Lake City, 3rd District Court; Judge David N. Mortensen, of Springville, 4th District Court; Paul T. Moxley, of Alta, partner, Parsons Kinghorn Harris; Judge Anthony B. Quinn, of Salt Lake City, 3rd District Court; Judge Stephen L. Roth, of Salt Lake City, 3rd District Court; and Jeannette F. Swent, of Salt Lake City, chief, Civil Division, U.S. Attorney’s Office.

A 10-day public comment period will be held before the names are submitted to Gov. Gary Herbert. Court of Appeals Nominating Commission Chair Gayle McKeachnie is accepting written comments regarding the nominees at the Administrative Office of the Courts, P.O. Box 140241, Salt Lake City, UT, 84114-0241. The deadline for written comments is Nov. 30, 2009, by 5 p.m.

Following the public comment period, the names will be sent to the governor who has 30 days to select a candidate.

The governor’s nominee is then forwarded to the Senate Confirmation Committee, which reviews the nominee’s qualifications and conducts a public hearing and interview session. The Senate Confirmation Committee will forward the final nominee to the Utah State Senate, which has 60 days from the Governor’s nomination to confirm the nominee.

mwilliams@davisclipper.com