Rule 1-205. Standing and ad hoc committees.

Intent:

To establish standing and ad hoc committees to assist the Council and provide recommendations on topical issues.

To establish uniform terms and a uniform method for appointing committee members.

To provide for a periodic review of existing committees to assure that their activities are appropriately related to the administration of the judiciary.

Applicability:

This rule shall apply to the internal operation of the Council.

Statement of the Rule:

(1) Standing committees.

(1)(A) Establishment. The following standing committees of the Council are hereby established:

(1)(A)(i) Technology Committee;

(1)(A)(ii) Uniform Fine/Bail Schedule Committee;

(1)(A)(iii) Performance Evaluation Committee;

(1)(A)(iv) Ethics Advisory Committee;

(1)(A)(v) Justice Court Standards Committee;

(1)(A)(vi) Judicial Branch Education Committee;

(1)(A)(vii) Court Facility Planning Committee;

(1)(A)(viii) Committee on Children and Family Law;

(1)(A)(ix) Committee on Judicial Outreach;

(1)(A)(x) Committee on Resources for Self-represented Parties;

(1)(A)(xi) Court Interpreter Committee; and

(1)(A)(xii) Guardian ad Litem Oversight Committee.

(1)(B) Composition.

(1)(B)(i) The Technology Committee shall consist of one judge from each court of record, one justice court judge, one lawyer recommended by the Board of Bar Commissioners, two court executives, two court clerks and two staff members from the Administrative Office.

(1)(B)(ii) The Uniform Fine/Bail Schedule Committee shall consist of one district court judge who has experience with a felony docket, three district court judges who have experience with a misdemeanor docket, one juvenile court judge and three justice court judges.

(1)(B)(iii) The Performance Evaluation Committee shall consist of one judge from each court of record, one justice court judge, one active senior judge, one court commissioner, one Bar Commissioner recommended by the president of the State Bar, two practicing attorneys who are members of the Bar in good standing, and three lay members. The terms of office of the two practicing attorneys shall be staggered. The Judicial Council shall appoint one of the two practicing attorneys to serve as chair.

(1)(B)(iv) The Ethics Advisory Committee shall consist of one judge from the Court of Appeals, one district court judge from Judicial Districts 2, 3, or 4, one district court judge from Judicial Districts 1, 5, 6, 7, or 8, one juvenile court judge, one justice court judge, and an attorney from either the Bar or a college of law.

(1)(B)(v) The Justice Court Standards Committee shall consist of one municipal justice court judge from a rural area, one municipal justice court judge from an urban area, one county justice court judge from a rural area, and one county justice court judge from an urban area, all appointed by the Board of Justice Court Judges; one mayor from either Utah, Davis, Weber or Salt Lake Counties, and one mayor from the remaining counties, both appointed by the Utah League of Cities and Towns; one county commissioner from either Utah, Davis, Weber or Salt Lake Counties, and one county commissioner from the remaining counties, both appointed by the Utah Association of Counties; a member of the Bar from Utah, Davis, Weber or Salt Lake Counties, and a member of the Bar from the remaining counties, both appointed by the Bar Commission; and a judge of a court of record appointed by the Presiding Officer of the Council. All Committee members shall be appointed for four year staggered terms.

(1)(B)(vi) The Judicial Branch Education Committee shall consist of one judge from an appellate court, one district court judge from Judicial Districts 2, 3, or 4, one district court judge from Judicial Districts 1, 5, 6, 7, or 8, one juvenile court judge, the education liaison of the Board of Justice Court Judges, one state level administrator, the Human Resource Management Director, one court executive, one juvenile court probation representative, two court clerks from different levels of court and different judicial districts, one data processing manager, and one adult educator from higher education. The Human Resource Management Director and the adult educator shall serve as non-voting members. The state level administrator and the Human Resource Management Director shall serve as permanent Committee members.

(1)(B)(vii) The Court Facility Planning Committee shall consist of one judge from each level of trial court, one appellate court judge, the state court administrator, a trial court executive, and two business people with experience in the construction or financing of facilities.

(1)(B)(viii) The Committee on Children and Family Law shall consist of one Senator appointed by the President of the Senate, one Representative appointed by the Speaker of the House, the Director of the Department of Human Services or designee, one attorney of the Executive Committee of the Family Law Section of the Utah State Bar, one attorney with experience in abuse, neglect and dependency cases, one attorney with experience representing parents in abuse, neglect and dependency cases, one representative of a child advocacy organization, one mediator, one professional in the area of child development, one representative of the community, the Director of the Office of Guardian ad Litem or designee, one court commissioner, two district court judges, and two juvenile court judges. One of the district court judges and one of the juvenile court judges shall serve as co-chairs to the committee. In its discretion the committee may appoint non-members to serve on its subcommittees.

(1)(B)(ix) The Committee on Judicial Outreach shall consist of one appellate court judge, one district court judge, one juvenile court judge, one justice court judge, one state level administrator, a state level judicial education representative, one court executive, one Utah State Bar representative, two communication representatives, one law library representative, one civic community representative, and one state education representative.

(1)(B)(x) The Committee on Resources for Self-represented Parties shall consist of two district court judges, one juvenile court judge, one justice court judge, three clerks of court – one from an appellate court, one from an urban district and one from a rural district – one member of the Online Court Assistance Committee, one representative from the Utah State Bar, two representatives from legal service organizations that serve low-income clients, one private attorney experienced in providing services to self-represented parties, two law school representatives, the state law librarian, and two community representatives.

(1)(B)(xi) The Court Interpreter Committee shall consist of one district court judge, one juvenile court judge, one justice court judge, one trial court executive, one court clerk, one interpreter coordinator, one probation officer, one prosecuting attorney, one defense attorney, two certified interpreters, one approved interpreter, one expert in the field of linguistics, and one American Sign Language representative.

(1)(B)(xii) The Guardian ad Litem Oversight Committee shall consist of seven members with experience in the administration of law and public services selected from public, private and non-profit organizations.

(1)(C) The Judicial Council shall designate the chair of standing committees. Standing committees shall meet as necessary to accomplish their work but a minimum of once every six months. Standing committees shall report to the Council as necessary but a minimum of once every six months. Council members may not serve, participate or vote on standing committees. Standing committees may invite participation by others as they deem advisable, but only members designated by this rule may make motions and vote. All members designated by this rule may make motions and vote unless otherwise specified. Standing committees may form subcommittees as they deem advisable.

(1)(D) Six months before the scheduled termination of a standing committee, the Management Committee shall review the performance of the committee and make recommendations to the Judicial Council regarding reauthorization. Unless reauthorized by the Judicial Council, the committees shall terminate on the date indicated and every six years thereafter.

(1)(D)(i) The Technology Committee shall terminate on June 30, 2006.

(1)(D)(ii) The Uniform Fine/Bail Schedule Committee shall terminate on June 30, 2006.

(1)(D)(iii) The Performance Evaluation Committee shall terminate on June 30, 2007.

(1)(D)(iv) The Ethics Advisory Committee shall terminate on June 30, 2007.

(1)(D)(v) The Justice Court Standards Committee shall terminate on June 30, 2008.

(1)(D)(vi) The Judicial Branch Education Committee shall terminate on June 30, 2008.

(1)(D)(vii) The Court Facility Planning Committee shall terminate on June 30, 2009.

(1)(D)(viii) The Committee on Children and Family Law shall terminate on June 30, 2009.

(1)(D)(ix) The Committee on Judicial Outreach shall terminate on June 30, 2010.

(1)(D)(x) The Committee on Resources for Self-represented Parties shall terminate on June 30, 2010.

(1)(D)(xi) The Court Interpreter Committee shall terminate on June 30, 2011.

(1)(D)(xii) The Guardian ad Litem Oversight Committee shall terminate on June 30, 2011.

(2) Ad hoc committees. The Council may form ad hoc committees or task forces to consider topical issues outside the scope of the standing committees and to recommend rules or resolutions concerning such issues. The Council may set and extend a date for the termination of any ad hoc committee. The Council may invite non-Council members to participate and vote on ad hoc committees. Ad hoc committees shall keep the Council informed of their activities. Ad hoc committees may form sub-committees as they deem advisable. Ad hoc committees shall disband upon issuing a final report or recommendations to the Council, upon expiration of the time set for termination, or upon the order of the Council.

(3) General provisions.

(3)(A) Appointment process.

(3)(A)(i) Administrator's responsibilities. The state court administrator shall select a member of the administrative staff to serve as the administrator for committee appointments. Except as otherwise provided in this rule, the administrator shall:

(3)(A)(i)(a) announce expected vacancies on standing committees two months in advance and announce vacancies on ad hoc committees in a timely manner;

(3)(A)(i)(b) for new appointments, obtain an indication of willingness to serve from each prospective appointee and information regarding the prospective appointee's present and past committee service;

(3)(A)(i)(c) for reappointments, obtain an indication of willingness to serve from the prospective reappointee, the length of the prospective reappointee's service on the committee, the attendance record of the prospective reappointee, the prospective reappointee's contributions to the committee, and the prospective reappointee's other present and past committee assignments; and

(3)(A)(i)(d) present a list of prospective appointees and reappointees to the Council and report on recommendations received regarding the appointment of members and chairs.

(3)(A)(ii) Council's responsibilities. The Council shall appoint the chair of each committee. Whenever practical, appointments shall reflect geographical, gender, cultural and ethnic diversity.

(3)(B) Terms. Except as otherwise provided in this rule, standing committee members shall serve staggered three year terms. Standing committee members shall not serve more than two consecutive terms on a committee unless the Council determines that exceptional circumstances exist which justify service of more than two consecutive terms.

(3)(C) Members of standing and ad hoc committees may receive reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses incurred in the execution of their duties as committee members.

(3)(D) The Administrative Office shall serve as secretariat to the Council's committees.