Born in Salt Lake City, Utah on May 27, 1927,[1] Jenkins was in the United States Navy from 1945 to 1946, and then received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Utah in 1949 and a Juris Doctor from the S.J.

[2] Jenkins was in private practice in Salt Lake City from 1952 to 1965.

He was a member of the Utah State Senate from 1959 to 1965, serving as a Democrat.

[4] On August 28, 1978, Jenkins was nominated by President Jimmy Carter to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of Utah vacated by Judge Willis William Ritter.

He served as chief judge from 1984 to 1993, and also taught as an adjunct professor, University of Utah from 1987 to 1988.