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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- State court officials say they plan to leave judicial vacancies unfilled because of the state's sour budget.
The court will not fill the vacancy left by Utah Court of Appeals Judge Judith Billings, who is retiring at the end of the year.
State court Administrator Daniel Becker says Gov. Jon Huntsman has agreed not to fill the appeals court position for now.
Becker says the Utah Judicial Council may also hold open the seats of other judges who leave next year, including those on district and juvenile courts.
Courts spokeswoman Nancy Volmer says that, as far as anyone knows, such a move has never been made.
The courts have already instituted a hiring freeze and will start using electronic recording equipment instead of court reporters during some cases.
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Information from: The Salt Lake Tribune
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
