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Public Defenders present 2020 caseload and budget; office reports shortfall and staffing updates
Summary
Utah County Public Defenders Association staff reported 2020 caseload changes, workload-weighted time metrics and a budget variance of about $184,000 that is largely offset by a $154,000 regional grant and existing carryover; presenters also described hiring and trial-backlog strategies.
Benjamin Young, the public defenders’ financial manager, and deputy presenter Josh Esplin delivered the Utah County Public Defenders Association’s quarterly presentation on 2020 caseloads and finances.
Young said district-court felony appointments rose slightly compared with 2019 while misdemeanor appointments and orders to show cause declined in number. He highlighted that orders to show cause made up roughly 55% of cases by count but represented about 27% of the workload when hours required per case are considered; the presentation noted an average of about 8.5 hours per order-to-show-cause matter.
On finances, Young reported the office was “over budget by a 184,000,” but added the Mountain Land Association of Governments granted $154,000 to the office and there was roughly $44,000 in carryover funds, leaving the office within about 0.6% of its budgeted total. He outlined steps to increase transparency in employee-related expenses in the 2021 budget, including breaking out wages, payroll and benefits rather than consolidating them in a single line item.
Young and Esplin discussed hiring: four attorneys were hired in September 2020 (with full-year payroll impact limited by start dates), the financial manager role began in June, and the office currently reported 36 attorneys before the addition of two positions funded by the Indigent Defense Commission (IDC). The IDC approved funds for two of four requested positions as one-time funding; Young said those hires are intended as one-year positions to cover specific calendar demands tied to a bond case.
Commissioners asked for clarity about the hours-per-case metrics, extraordinary expenses (including conflict cases that can exceed $75,000 before the office absorbs costs), and how jury trials and COVID-era scheduling have affected the backlog. Presenters said trials were expected to begin a test phase in February using remote jury selection and in-person juries pending Supreme Court guidance.
No formal action on the public-defender presentation was taken during the meeting; commissioners asked follow-up questions and requested any additional details be provided as requested.
