1. United States
2. Utah
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to oppose any legislation that would add an additional Justice to the Utah Supreme Court. This proposal appears to be a reaction to disagreement with recent Court decisions rather than a response to any legitimate operational need, and it would set a dangerous precedent that undermines the independence of our state judiciary. The current composition of the Utah Supreme Court has served our state effectively, and there is no evidence that an additional Justice is needed for the Court to function properly. The Court's caseload does not require expansion, and adding a Justice would not improve access to justice for Utah residents or enhance the Court's ability to resolve cases efficiently. This proposal lacks any operational justification. Expanding the Utah Supreme Court in response to unfavorable rulings treats our state judicial system as a political tool to be manipulated when legislators disagree with legal outcomes. This approach circumvents the legitimate democratic processes available when there is disagreement with Court decisions, including passing new legislation, pursuing constitutional amendments, or waiting for vacancies to occur naturally through retirement or other means. If the legislature expands the Court today to achieve preferred outcomes, it establishes a precedent that future legislatures can do the same whenever they dislike Court rulings. This cycle would transform our state Supreme Court from an independent arbiter of Utah law into an extension of whichever party controls the legislature at any given moment. The integrity of our judicial system depends on its structural independence from political pressures. I respectfully ask that you publicly oppose any legislation to expand the Utah Supreme Court and work to prevent this proposal from advancing. Our state's system of checks and balances requires a judiciary that Utahns can trust to interpret the law impartially, not one that can be reshaped whenever its decisions prove politically inconvenient.