犹他州首席法官警告不要扩大州最高法院,指出存在司法独立和积压问题的风险。 Utah's chief justice warns against expanding the state Supreme Court, citing risks to judicial independence and backlog concerns.

犹他州首席大法官马修·达兰特敦促共和党立法者不要将州最高法院从5名法官扩大到7名法官,并警告说,对最近关于堕胎、变性运动员和重新划分选区的裁决的政治报复会破坏司法独立。 Utah’s Chief Justice Matthew Durrant urged Republican lawmakers against expanding the state Supreme Court from five to seven justices, warning that political retaliation over recent rulings on abortion, transgender athletes, and redistricting could undermine judicial independence. 虽然共和党领导人和州长斯宾塞·考克斯支持扩建以提高效率并与其他州保持一致，但法律专家警告说，这可能会拖慢决策进程，并援引亚利桑那州的经验。 While Republican leaders and Governor Spencer Cox support the expansion for efficiency and alignment with other states, legal experts caution it may slow decision-making, citing Arizona’s experience. Durrant强调,资源应该用来解决低级法院紧迫的积压案件,因为案件拖延更为严重。 Durrant emphasized that resources should instead address pressing backlogs in lower courts, where case delays are more severe. 辩论是在将任命首席法官的权力从法院移交给州长的立法行动之后进行的,引起了人们对司法政治化的关切。 The debate follows legislative moves to transfer the power to appoint the chief justice from the court to the governor, raising concerns about politicizing the judiciary.