Utah Chief Justice Durant outlines pandemic-era court changes, asks lawmakers for tech and staffing funds
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Summary
Chief Justice Richard Durant told the Utah Senate that the judiciary moved nearly all court operations online during the pandemic, that virtual hearings involved over 400,000 participants, and that the branch seeks roughly $1.935 million ongoing and $10,000 one-time for technology, cybersecurity and outreach.
Chief Justice Richard J. Durant delivered the State of the Judiciary to the Utah Senate, saying the pandemic forced a rapid shift to virtual court operations and highlighted needs the branch will ask the Legislature to fund.
"By mid April we were able to move almost all of the court system online, with all of our courts holding virtual hearings and trials," Durant said. He added that those remote proceedings have involved "over 400,000 individual participants." Durant said appellate and juvenile courts have largely maintained pre-pandemic caseload pace but district courts face significant delays, especially in jury trials, which present constitutional and public-health challenges.
Durant asked lawmakers to fund technology and personnel priorities that would help the courts sustain remote services and prepare to resume jury trials safely. He said the judiciary's request totals $1,935,000 in ongoing funding and $10,000 in one-time funding for items that include additional IT developers, enhanced online portal assistance, cybersecurity improvements and increased network bandwidth for rural courthouses. He also highlighted funding for a new Public Outreach Coordinator and work to retain and recruit court commissioners and to educate staff for leadership roles.
Durant described efforts to address fairness and public trust: the creation of an Office of Fairness and Accountability and a new public outreach position intended to improve communication with marginalized communities. He thanked the State Court Administrator, Judge Mary Noonan, and the courtsIT leadership, including Heidi Anderson, for their work in shifting operations online.
The chief justice also said the Judicial Council is coordinating with public health officials and epidemiologists at the University of Utah on plans to resume jury trials, stressing the need to balance constitutional jury-trial rights with public safety. "We are committed to resuming trials, jury trials in a way that takes every precaution to protect the health insurers and all other participants in the trial process," he said.
The Senate received the address, ordered the text spread on the journal, and dissolved the committee of the whole to return to regular business. The judiciary's funding requests and plans to resume jury trials are expected to inform appropriations discussions during the session.
