Utah State Bar News & Announcements

MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT ROBERT L. JEFFS
Legal Services to Aid Middle Class

Real or imagined, attorneys are increasingly perceived by consumers as a service only available to the wealthy. Programs and services like public defenders, Utah Legal Services, Legal Aid of Utah, the Disability Law Center, and Tuesday Night Bars throughout the state provide some limited legal representation for the poorest members of our community. For a large segment of the middle class, obtaining affordable legal services is more difficult. To an increasing segment of society, we are becoming less relevant. I believe that our profession has an obligation to provide a means for the public to obtain more affordable legal services, and to assist the public in accessing the judicial system. Society is better served if our profession provides counsel and direction in the formation of business arrangements, in the formulation of estate plans, and in the myriad of other services that we provide. Creative fee structures such as contingent fees or blended fees of reduced hourly rates combined with a contingent fee component, flat fees, and discounted legal services have long been a part of how we serve our core clientele. The Bar Commission has now appointed a committee chaired by Commissioner Su Chon to explore how the profession might expand the availability of affordable legal services to the members of the public with modest means. We look forward to sharing the findings of the Committee and ask for your comments and suggestions on presenting more creative options in offering legal services to aid the middle class.

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Salt Lake City, UT—Utah State Court Administrator Daniel J. Becker has announced the appointment of Ray Wahl to the position of deputy state court administrator for the Utah State Courts. Wahl replaces Myron March who retired in December.

The Supreme Court invites comments to proposed amendments to the following court rules. The comment period expires March 4, 2011.

Summary of proposed amendments

Rules of Criminal Procedure
URCrP 015A. Scientific, Lab, and Analytical Reports - When prosecution required to produce foundation and chain of custody witnesses. Repeal. The rule was enacted in 2010 to create a streamlined process to address the confrontation issues established by Melendez-Diaz. The rule has had the opposite effect, creating additional and unnecessary work for both prosecutors and defense attorneys.

WHAT: 2011 State of the Judiciary Address.

WHO: The Honorable Christine M. Durham, Chief Justice of the Utah Supreme Court, will address the House and the Senate in separate sessions.

WHEN: Monday, January 24: Senate at 2:00 p.m.; House at 2:40 p.m.

WHERE: Utah State Capitol

COPIES: Copies of Chief Justice Durham’s speech will be distributed to reporters at the Capitol prior to the address. An electronic copy will be available at http://www.utcourts.gov/media/news/ following the address.

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