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SWEAR IN • Justice Court Judge Barbara Finlinson was sworn in by Lisa Brough, city recorder/finance director. She is also pictured with Mayor Glade Nielson.

By Myrna Trauntvein
TN Correspondent

Barbara Afton Finlinson was sworn in as the Nephi Justice Court Judge by Lisa Brough, city recorder/finance director, on Tuesday at a council meeting held prior to work session.

Finlinson is married to Nephi City Power Superintendent, Rust Finlinson, and is the mother of nine children in a blended family.

She graduated summa cum laude with a 4.0 GPA from Utah Valley University in 2014. She earned a bachelor of science degree in the field of Communications and was awarded the Outstanding Graduate Award representing UVU’s (Utah Valley University) Communications Department.

Finlinson graduated from Brigham Young University’s (BYU) J. Ruben Clark Law School in 2018. She was awarded BYU Alumni and Clark Law School Replenishment Full Scholarship by faculty nomination during her third year.

During her time at law school, she served as the Mother’s Representative for BYU Law’s Women in the Law organization and advocated for mothers at the law school, She also served as the President of BYU Law’ Environment, Energy and Resources organization. In that role, she organized and hosted events in cooperation with legal practitioners within those fields of the law to provide presentation and further education for students at the law school in those areas of the law.

She was hired as a law clerk at the Utah County Attorney’s Office in September of 2016 while still in law school. She served in that capacity until she was admitted to the Utah State Bar in September of 2018.

At that time, Finlinson was hired as a Utah County Deputy Attorney and practiced law as a prosecutor for three years. She prosecuted criminal cases in the Utah County Justice Court as well as in Utah’s Fourth District Court in Provo.

During that time, she also served as the head prosecuting attorney in the Fourth District Court’s Mental Health Court program. In that capacity, she worked with the judge, defense attorney and administrators at the Utah County Attorney’s Office to change screening protocols in order to allow easier program access for individuals struggling with mental illness.

During that time, Finlinson was able to fill the Mental Health Court Program to capacity.

She grew up in Oak City. She loves sewing and playing the piano.

She replaces Sharla Tolley Williams, Nephi, who passed away, November 13, 2020 after a short illness.

Williams served as Juab County Justice Court Judge and as Nephi City Justice Court Judge.

Finlinson will also fill the judicial vacancy that serves Juab County.