Returning to Utah, in 1872 he became a resident of Spring City in Sanpete County,[1] where he was admitted to the bar in 1877.

During 1892–1894 he was prosecuting attorney in Sanpete County, overlapping an 1893–1895 term in the Utah Territorial Legislature.

In 1896 Johnson became a state court judge in Utah's Seventh Judicial District.

Incumbent Joseph Howell was re-elected, and Johnson was elected as Utah's new representative to the 63rd United States Congress.

[1] Johnson retired from politics to continue his law practice in Salt Lake City, where he died in 1925.