Utah County public defenders report sharp caseload rise, warn of staffing and cost pressure

Benjamin Young, financial manager for the Utah County Public Defender Association, told the County Commission that the office’s workload has risen sharply in early 2023 and that the increase is straining capacity. “We’ve seen a significant increase in the number of cases, and the number of hours that are required to provide effective assistance of counsel,” Young said during the quarterly report to the commission.

The association reported 815 new cases in the first quarter this year versus about 390 for the same period last year, and a separate tally taken during the presentation showed the office had opened roughly 1,192 cases as of mid‑April, an additional 377 cases in weeks after the quarter closed. Using national guideline hour estimates, Young said the total attorney hours required this quarter are approaching the workload normally expected across two quarters in 2022. That workload translates to about 62.6 case‑related hours per county‑funded attorney, above the historical target of roughly 50 hours.

Young and other presenters warned that the spike is not purely clerical: more complex felony and drug cases are increasing demand for experts, investigators and transcripts. “With the increased number of cases, we’re seeing an increase in the experts, the witnesses, the investigators, the transcripts and tapes,” Young said. The association estimated that, divided across the 28 county‑funded attorneys (counting an IDC grant), each attorney faces more than 60 hours of case work based on the current caseload.

Commissioners asked clarifying questions about how hours are calculated; presenter staff said the reported hours cover case‑specific tasks (court preparation, client meetings, motions and in‑court time) and do not include training, administrative duties or continuing legal education. Young said the association expects program and employee expenses to rise and asked the commission to consider funding options in the next budget cycle.

The presentation did not include a formal action by the commission. Staff said the public defender association will return to the commission during funding discussions for the coming fiscal year to seek additional resources or staffing adjustments consistent with the increased caseload.