Equal access to courts urged

The head of Utah's judiciary called on lawmakers Monday to join in the creation of a statewide initiative to ensure all citizens have full access to the court system and its resources.

The program would bring the state's various legal services, now scattered between several organizations, under one umbrella, Utah Supreme Court Chief Justice Christine M. Durham said in her annual State of the Judiciary address.

"It is time to take these efforts to the next level and to create a network of providers, of stakeholders, lawmakers, community leaders, consumers, lawyers and court leaders who can address the issue of access to justice on a statewide level," Durham said.

Pointing to a similar program in Washington state, Durham said one principle of such a board is especially poignant on Martin Luther King Jr. Day: "Access to justice is a fundamental right in a just society."

While the justice system plays a key role in making sure every person in the state receives equal access to the courts, the responsibility does not lie solely with judges and attorneys, Durham said.

"I know that many of you have long-standing concerns about access to justice, and I hope that we will find ways to strengthen the vision of a just society in our state and to form partnerships that work," she said.

With the goal of equal access in mind, Durham said state court judges today are looking beyond the simple adjudication of cases. The 235 jurists — from Supreme Court justices to justice court judges — seek to address the reasons why people initially enter the court system.

"Courts exist to provide peaceful and fair places for individuals and for society to bring some of the most difficult and painful problems they encounter, and resolving problems sometimes requires more than merely disposing of cases," she said.

Durham shared with lawmakers a letter written by a 7-year-old boy who spent time in several foster homes before he was finally adopted by a loving couple who make him feel "safe and happy."

The juvenile court judge to whom the letter was addressed has been involved with the boy's family for more than 20 years. As the second youngest of nine children, many of whom spent their entire lives in the foster-care system, the boy's happy ending is proof that recent changes to the juvenile courts have been successful, Durham said.