When Judge Kasey Wright announced his resignation from Utah’s state courts, he described judicial workloads as unsustainable. His concerns resonated beyond the courthouse. His observations highlight a challenge that many attorneys, judges, and legal professionals have been experiencing firsthand: our legal system is under increasing strain, and technology is changing the nature of our work in ways we are only beginning to understand.
At first glance, artificial intelligence appears to offer a solution. AI can draft documents, research issues, organize information, and do tasks that once consumed innumerable hours, even in our courts. Utah’s legal professionals, along with our businesses, see the potential and are rapidly adopting these tools to improve efficiencies across workflows.
Still, things remain complicated as we adapt to a technology that changes daily.
AI has dramatically lowered the barriers to producing legal documents. Pro se litigants — individuals representing themselves — have taken note. Unrepresented individuals can now generate motions, pleadings, and legal arguments in minutes. While this can be a positive development, the resulting communications and filings are often lengthy, inaccurate, procedurally flawed, or filled with legal theories untethered from existing law. What might have taken a litigant days or weeks to prepare can now be produced almost instantly. And it’s not just the unrepresented who have taken note. Some enterprising attorneys have begun creating AI-native law firms. If your business is being sued by one of them, you can expect more demands, more litigation, and quicker, more voluminous discovery requests.
The consequence of all this is an escalating burden on the legal system along with our businesses. Attorneys must review and respond to these communications, papers, and filings. Court staff must process them. Judges must evaluate them with the independent thought and careful consideration that we expect when important rights are at stake. Technology that was expected to reduce workload is, in many instances, simply but dramatically shifting the workload to others.
This phenomenon is not unique to Utah. Businesses with a California presence know this well. But it is becoming increasingly visible in our state. Combined with population growth, staffing challenges, and growing public scrutiny fueled by social media, Utah’s legal professionals are facing pressures unlike any we have seen before. Burnout is no longer an abstract concern. It is an ongoing one.
However, this is not a story about resisting technology. It is a story about learning how to manage it responsibly.
Every transformational technology disrupts before it creates stability. The printing press, computers, internet, and smartphones each required institutions and individuals to adapt. Artificial intelligence is no different. The answer is not to turn back the clock, but to establish guardrails, develop best practices, and invest in the systems that help professionals use these tools effectively.
The legal profession is uniquely positioned with our business community to lead this effort. Attorneys understand both innovation and risk. Courts can modernize procedures and rein in litigant abuses. Law schools can teach AI competency alongside traditional legal skills. Businesses can support thoughtful adoption rather than measuring success solely by speed and volume.
Most importantly, Utah’s policymakers can continue to increase investment in the judicial system, particularly in the lower courts. Giving our judges and court staff the resources necessary to administer justice in an increasingly complex environment will help Utah’s businesses just as much as the family facing child custody issues.
I remain optimistic. AI has enormous potential to improve access to legal information, increase efficiency, and allow attorneys to focus on higher-value strategic work, the kind of work that helps our businesses and communities thrive. If we approach this moment thoughtfully, technology can help us build a stronger legal system rather than overwhelm it.
Judge Wright’s resignation serves as both a warning and a catalyst. His thoughtful statement is a gift in this moment. Utah has an opportunity to lead the conversation about how innovation and justice can coexist. The choices we make today will determine whether AI becomes a source of burnout or a tool that strengthens the future of the legal profession, our businesses, and our communities.