Utah chief justice urges courts' focus on foster care, mental-health pilots and transparency

SALT LAKE CITY — Chief Justice Durham told the Utah Senate on Jan. 16 that the judicial branch will press ahead on improvements to foster-care supports, expand problem-solving courts and adopt clearer performance measures to build public trust in the courts.

Durham opened his State of the Judiciary remarks by framing the courts' work within the broader promise of the U.S. Constitution and the rule of law, and he cited international interest in Utah's court structure. "When our visitors were asked what most impressed them about what they saw when they visited Utah, the response was that we are an example of courts doing business in the open," he said.

The court is convening cross-sector efforts aimed at children in foster care through an initiative Durham called IOU (Initiatives on Utah Children). He described the initiative's work on federal and state funding, transitions to adult living, kinship placements and public awareness. Durham recounted a recent meeting where an 18-year-old who had aged out of foster care told initiative members he had received no follow-up support; the anecdote prompted volunteers to offer help. "It would be nice, you know, to get a phone call once in a while, to know somebody cares," Durham said, relaying the youth's remarks.

Durham also described the expansion of problem-solving courts beyond drug courts. He announced a mental-health court pilot that "will officially begin in Third District juvenile court Judge Dane Nolan's courtroom at the West Jordan Courthouse" to coordinate treatment, services and judicial supervision for young people whose involvement in the juvenile system includes serious mental-health needs. He cited national and local partners participating in the pilot, including Valley Mental Health, the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office, contract defense counsel, the Salt Lake County Division of Substance Abuse Services, the Jordan School District, the Utah Department of Human Services and the Division of Juvenile Justice Services.

On performance and accountability, Durham said the Judicial Council is finalizing a set of core measures "somewhat analogous to the gauges in your car" to track time-to-disposition and other indicators; he said the court has seen encouraging reductions in disposition times. He also flagged the changing role of justice courts as a high priority, noting that about three-quarters of cases filed statewide originate in justice courts.

Durham closed by inviting legislators to observe court proceedings firsthand and pledged that the judiciary would continue to promote fairness, access and openness. The Senate later voted to have Durham's remarks spread upon the pages of the Senate Journal.

The chief justice's remarks preceded a brief question-and-answer exchange in which Senator Mansell asked how long the Supreme Court typically takes to issue opinions after taking a case under advisement. Durham said timing "depends" on complexity and the need for research and multiple opinions, and said the court's average issuance in many matters is typically under a year, though expedited cases can be resolved in weeks.