Budget Resource
Center

...providing state budgets, reports, and current news to help the court community make informed budgetary decisions.

Utah

Actions Underway

• Utah is primarily a state funded system. The state pays for facilities and all operating costs. In FY09, Utah’s budget was reduced by $7,339,500 (6%). The FY 2010 budget was reduced by $5,547,300, or 4.5% over the beginning budget for FY09.
• Utah instituted a hiring freeze on all positions in September 2008, which will continue thru June 30, 2009. Thereafter, a hiring slowdown of 6 weeks will be in place for all positions. Judgeships will also be subject to a slowdown in the appointment process. For example, a Court of Appeals judgeship will remain open 10 months.
• Utah will eliminate 65.5 positions before July 1, 2009. The Administrative Office of the Courts has eliminated 11 positions, or approximately 10 % of its workforce. All court reporters positions have been permanently eliminated, being replaced by digital audio and video recording. 18 trial court clerical positions have been eliminated, as have 11.5 juvenile probations staff, 4 custodial positions, and a trial court law clerk.
• Utah is looking at altering venue and jurisdiction lines. A rule change will be considered in the coming year which would move all small claims cases from the district courts (general jurisdiction court) to the justice courts.
• A standardized e-filing and e-payment system is being deployed.  A major reorganization of clerical operations is in the implementation phase, to include restructuring positions, team management, and an increased emphasis on improved case management.

Reports and Articles

• Stephen Hunt. "Courts End Hiring Freeze for Judges." The Salt Lake Tribune. March 27, 2009.
• Stephen Hunt. "No Furloughs for Court Employees." The Salt Lake Tribune. March 17, 2009.
• Linda Thomson. "Fee Hikes Ease Proposed Court Budget Cuts." Deseret News. March 11, 2009.
• "Utah Court System Says Furlough No Longer Needed." KSL.Com (Copyright The Associated Press). February 4, 2009.
• Elizabeth Ziegler. "Chief Justice Says Budget Cut Will Grind System to a Halt." KCPW News. January 27, 2009.
• Chief Justice Christine M. Durham. 2009 State of the Judiciary. Utah: Administrative Office of the Courts. January 26, 2009.
• Gene Kennedy. "Economic Decline Leads to Increase in Court Cases." KSL.com. December 16, 2008.

Gavel to Gavel

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State Links

• Court Budget Web Sites
• Strategic Planning
• State Budgets for 2009
• State Budget Offices