Utah State Bar News & Announcements

MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT NATHAN D. ALDER
Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission Comments

The Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission is now up and running. Well into the administrative rulemaking process, the Commission is also focused on getting attorney and juror surveys underway this year. The Commission will update the Bar in Sun Valley on progress to date. In the meantime, if you have specific questions that you think should or should not be included in the attorney survey, please email your suggestions to Joanne Slotnik, the new executive director of JPEC, at jslotnik@utah.gov.

March 2009 E-News

http://www.heraldextra.com/content/view/301464/17/
The Daily Herald [Provo, UT]
February 28, 2009

Oak Canyon students join 'We the People'

Linda Butler - North County staff

Oak Canyon students in Curtis Nguyen's U.S. History Honors Prep classes have taken an active involvement in understanding our country's Constitution, Congress and government through their participation in the "We the People" program.

State Law Library and Salt Lake County Library Service team up to provide Financial Wellness Classes.

Salt Lake City, UT - The Utah State Law Library and Salt Lake County Library Service have partnered with local experts to present a series of financial wellness programs. All classes begin at 7 p.m. and take place at various library locations throughout the Salt Lake valley. Following is a list of the classes with information on the instructor along with the date and location.

Thursday, March 12, 2009
Dixie Convention Center
St. George, Utah

Noon Lunch with Southern Utah Bar and Mentor Training

1:00 p.m. President's Report: Nate Alder

10 mins. - 2.1 - Review Convention Schedule and Calendar
15 mins. - 2.2 - Report on National Conference of Bar Presidents Meeting
30 mins. - 2.3 - Report on Governmental Relations and Legislative Session
05 mins. - 2.4 - Report on Selection of Fall Forum Chairs

2:00 p.m. Executive Director's Report: John Baldwin

10 mins. - 3.1 - Report on Mentoring Program
05 mins. - 3.2 - Report on Status of Supreme Court Petitions
05 mins. - 3.3 - Report on 2009 Elections
10 mins. - 3.4 - Financial Report and Lehman Bankruptcy Status

Salt Lake City, Utah—Chief Justice Christine M. Durham and Utah State Court Administrator Daniel Becker released the following statement towards the close of the 2009 Legislative Session.

“On behalf of the judges and staff of the Utah court system, I would like to express our gratitude to the Utah Legislature for addressing the budgetary needs of the state court system,” said Chief Justice Christine M. Durham. “The courts budget was in large measure restored by the passage of legislation increasing filing fees. We appreciate how difficult the decision to raise filing fees was for the Legislature.”

At the start of the 2009 Legislative Session, the courts faced the prospect of closing courts one day a week and eliminating hundreds of court staff positions. According to Utah State Court Administrator Daniel Becker, “such drastic measures would have severely reduced the public’s access to their courts and resulted in considerable delay in handling the work of the courts.”

Chief Justice Durham added, “The public is the real beneficiary of legislative efforts to address the needs of our court system.”

Applications are now being accepted for a vacancy on the Utah Court of Appeals bench. The position will replace Judge Judith Billings who retired effective Dec. 31, 2008.

To be considered for the position, candidates must be at least 30 years of age, a citizen of the United States, a resident of Utah for at least five years, and admitted to practice law in Utah.

Information on benefits, judicial retention, and performance evaluation is posted on the Utah State Courts’ Web site at www.utcourts.gov under employment opportunities. Application packets are available by contacting Margo Bird at (801) 578-3800 or through e-mail at margob@email.utcourts.gov.

Applications should be returned to the attention of Margo Bird, Administrative Office of the Courts, P.O. Box 140241, Salt Lake City, UT 84114-0241, or faxed to (801) 238-7814. Applications must be received by April 27 at 5:00 p.m.

Utah law requires the Judicial Nominating Commission to submit seven nominees to the Governor within 45 days of its first meeting. The Governor has 30 days in which to make a selection. The Utah State Senate has 60 days in which to approve or reject the Governor’s selection.

The Supreme Court invites comments to proposed amendments to the following court rules. The comment period expires May 19, 2009.

Summary of proposed amendments

Rules Governing the Utah State Bar
USB14-0203. License categories. Specify that to qualify for the "active, under 3 years" category means to have practiced less than 3 years in any jurisdiction.
USB14-0507. Roster of lawyers and current record information. Require the Bar to collect, maintain and have ready access to a lawyer's e-mail address. Lawyer could still designate the e-mail address as private.

How to view redline text of the proposed amendments

To see proposed rule amendments and submit comments, click on this link to: http://www.utcourts.gov/resources/rules/comments/. Then click on the rule number.

How to submit comments

You can comment and view the comments of others by clicking on the "comments" link associated with each body of rules. It's more efficient for us if you submit comments through the website, and we encourage you to do so. After clicking on the comment link, you will be prompted for your name, which we request, and your email address and URL, which are optional. This is a public site. If you do not want to disclose your email address, omit it. Time does not permit us to acknowledge comments, but all will be considered.

Submit comments directly through the website or to:

Tim Shea
Email: tims@email.utcourts.gov Please include the comment in the message text, not in an attachment.
Fax: 801-578-3843
Administrative Office of the Courts
POB 140241
Salt Lake City, Utah 84114-0241

One method of submitting a comment is sufficient.