Utah chief justice urges resources for courts, flags rise in self-represented litigants

Chief Justice Michael D. Zimmerman delivered the State of the Judiciary to the Utah Senate, outlining innovations and resource needs across the courts and asking the Legislature for two additional judgeships.

The chief justice, speaking as chair of the Utah Judicial Council, said the council helps set administrative priorities across the state court system and has used pilots to develop programs later expanded statewide. He highlighted juvenile justice reforms that helped secure a $22 million legislative package last year — $6 million of which went to the courts — and said the funds supported local services and 60 additional probation officers.

"We're asking you for 2 additional judgeships this year, 1 juvenile, 1 district," Zimmerman said, framing the request as a modest start to meet court demands driven by new judge-intensive calendars and a growing caseload.

Zimmerman described several court innovations. He cited the Juvenile Victim-Offender Mediation pilot, which the judiciary reports reduced repeat offending for participating youth roughly in half and increased victim satisfaction. He also highlighted drug court calendars, saying national figures suggest much lower reoffending among program completers: "National statistics are there's about an 80 percent chance of reoffending" for typical defendants who do not complete such programs, but completion can lower that rate substantially, to roughly "about a 10 percent chance" according to the chief justice's remarks.

The address flagged an accelerating trend toward self-representation in civil cases. Zimmerman said about "1 in every 5 civil cases that's filed is pro se," a national and statewide trend driven by cost and a desire for direct participation. To respond, the judiciary has placed five computer kiosks around the state to help litigants prepare court forms; last year 12,000 people used the kiosks and nearly 4,000 printed a form. The courts plan expanded public access through Internet tools and a 1-800 information number beginning Jan. 1.

Zimmerman warned that accommodating pro se litigants has significant cost and staffing implications. He urged lawmakers to weigh the fiscal consequences of effective, judge-intensive programs — programs that bring demonstrable benefits but require more judge and clerical time per case.

On facilities, Zimmerman invited lawmakers to visit the new courthouse, scheduled to open in March, and said the project is "on time. It's on budget." He closed by thanking legislative leaders and the governor for cooperation and asked for continued support for his successor and the judiciary's administrative agenda.

The Senate received the report in a committee of the whole and later dissolved that committee to continue legislative business.