Judge Tony Graf appears to be fairly new to the bench , but not new to law. He was appointed to Utah’s Fourth District Court in May 2025 and had previously built experience as a prosecutor and legal educator.

What that means

Graf’s background includes work as:

  • Deputy County Attorney.
  • Head of Utah’s Special Victims Unit.
  • Deputy District Attorney.
  • Assistant Attorney General.
  • Special Assistant U.S. Attorney.

That’s substantial courtroom and prosecutorial experience, even though his time as a judge itself is relatively recent.

In Tyler Robinson’s case

Reports say he took the bench in his new role only a short time before presiding over Robinson’s case, which makes him less seasoned as a judge than many long-serving trial judges. At the same time, he has already handled major rulings in the case, including scheduling hearings and issuing decisions on procedure and media access.

Bottom line

So the best short answer is: experienced lawyer, relatively new judge. He brings a deep legal background, but his judicial experience is still early- stage compared with more veteran judges.

Would you like a brief profile of Judge Tony Graf’s career path?