With concern for the high frequency of juvenile delinquency, child abuse and substance abuse, Utah Supreme Court Chief Justice Christine M. Durham delivered her annual State of the Judiciary Address on Monday.

Utah courts, according to Durham, are finding that a large percentage of their case load is related to drug offenses and what she termed, "human problems of almost unimaginable complexity."

Durham said that the Provo District Court reports that 75 percent to 80 percent of its cases has a direct or indirect connection to substance abuse. The number for Ogden goes even higher, reaching 90 percent.

The Chief Justice said she is concerned about the ability of the responsiveness of the courts to these mounting problems. She cites an inability to fill vacant judgeships and an inability to attract the "best and brightest" to serve on the bench as the court's major problems.

According to Durham, the Utah Bar Association reported that 40 percent of those interested in applying for a judgeship cited "increasing compensation" as the most important factor in their decision.

"I am convinced that attention to judicial compensation is critical to the future quality and performance of Utah's courts," Durham said.

There are a lot of senior members of Utah courts leaving for higher paying positions, Durham said. "That's a lot of experience, expertise and training that must be replaced. I want us all to be confident that we can attract and keep the best and the brightest," she said.

Durham asked legislators to support Gov. Jon Huntsman's call for an 11 percent catch-up raise after several lean years in which judges got little or no pay increase, according to The Associated Press.

The salaries were most recently boosted in July by 3 percent, to $114,000 for district judges.

Court of Appeals judges make $120,100 a year.

Durham is among Supreme Court justices who earn a $125,800 salary.

"Granted, we understand judges won't ever compete with lawyers in private practice" for compensation, Durham said in an interview with the AP.

This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page A3.