Utah Courts – Page 2 – Utah Court Rules

Posted: March 4, 2026

Code of Judicial Administration – Effective May 1, 2026

CJA3-101. Judicial performance standards (AMEND)
The amendments modify the case under advisement performance standards for appellate court judges from a fixed number to a percentage-based standard.

CJA4-410. Courthouse closure (AMEND)
The amendments: 1) clarify the sequence of designated authority for signing courthouse closure orders; 2) add cybersecurity and court operations throughout the rule; and 3) modify the language to include a provision for physical building closure, as well as operational closure.

CJA3-111. Performance Evaluation of Court Commissioners (AMEND)
The amendments remove language allowing court commissioners to exclude an attorney from a certification performance survey because that provision no longer applies.

Judicial Council Order

Posted: February 25, 2026

Code of Judicial Administration – Effective February 24, 2026

CJA 4-102. Case, calendar, and panel assignments (NEW)
This rule establishes the processes for case and three-judge panel assignments and reassignments. You can find the list of district court judges qualified to serve on a three-judge panel and a detailed explanation of the computer-generated random selection process for three-judge panels on the court’s website here.

Judicial Council Order

Posted: February 24, 2026

Rules of Appellate Procedure – Effective May 1, 2026

URAP005. Discretionary appeals from interlocutory orders. Amend. The amendments to Rule 5 include: 1) clarifying that the petition for an interlocutory appeal must be filed after the trial court’s signed order resolving the motion or issue before the trial court has been entered; and 2) adding an advisory committee note further clarifying what orders qualify as the trial court’s signed order.

URAP026. Filing and serving briefs. Amend. The amendments to Rule 26 include: 1) removing the language regarding stipulated requests for extensions of time; 2) adding a paragraph directing parties to Rule 22 to find the procedures for requesting an extension of time; and 3) clean-up for clarity and consistency.

URAP027. Form of briefs, motions, and other documents. Amend. The amendments to Rule 27 include: 1) changing the language in paragraph (a) Typeface from “a plain, roman style with serifs” to “plain and legible”; and 2) removing the cross reference to Rule 3 in paragraphs (c)(1)(C) and (d)(1)(C).

URAP034. Costs. Amend. The amendment to Rule 34 changes the awarded cost on appeal from $3.00 per page, to an actual reasonable cost that was incurred from the printing of briefs and attachments.

Supreme Court Order

Posted: February 18, 2026

Rules of Civil Procedure – Effective February 13, 2026

The amendments to Rules 1, 42, 63, and 63A of the Utah Rules of Civil Procedure were made final and effective as of Friday, February 13, 2026 upon approval of Senate Joint Resolution, SJR05 by a constitutional two-thirds vote of all members elected to each house.

URCP001. General Provisions. FINAL.

URCP042. Consolidation; separate trials; venue transfer. FINAL.

URCP063. Disability or Disqualification of a judge. FINAL.

URCP063A. Change of judge as a matter of right. FINAL.

Posted: February 9, 2026

Rules Governing the Utah State Bar – Admissions – Effective May 1, 2026

USB14-716. License fees; enrollment fees; oath and admission. Amend. The amendment to Rule 14-716 changes the number of times the Bar is permitted to file a Motion for Admission with the Supreme Court from four times a year to five times a year.

Supreme Court Order

Posted: February 3, 2026

Rules of Juvenile Procedure – Effective May 1, 2026

URJP003. Style of pleadings and forms. Amend. The adopted change to the caption described in subparagraph (b)(1) removes the reference to the age of a minor. Utah law contains multiple definitions of ‘minor,’ with the age threshold varying depending on the statutory context. The approved change in subparagraph (b)(6) adds a generic caption for court-approved forms that the Self-Help Center can provide to self-represented parties for use across multiple case types, expanding access to justice.

URJP020A. Discovery in non-delinquency proceedings. Amend. The approved changes to Rule 20A clarify that the rule applies to discovery in non-delinquency and non-criminal proceedings in juvenile court. The changes also refine language and update cross-references throughout the rule. Specifically, paragraph (b) is revised to more closely align with Rule 26 of the Utah Rules of Civil Procedure. A reference to Rule 19 of the Utah Rules of Juvenile Procedure was added to the introductory language in paragraphs (c), (d), (e), and (g). Paragraph (g) now incorporates the caution language from Rule 36 of the Utah Rules of Civil Procedure, with a shortened time frame. Finally, new paragraphs (n) and (o) relocate provisions currently found in Rule 20 of the Utah Rules of Juvenile Procedure.

URJP022. Initial appearance and preliminary hearing in cases under Utah Code sections 80-6-503 and 80-6-504. Amend. The adopted changes to Rule 22 amend the title and the preliminary hearing timeframes found in paragraph (g). For youth in custody, a hearing will be held no later than 14 days after the initial appearance. For youth not in custody, the preliminary hearing will be held no later than 28 days after the initial appearance. These timeframes are consistent with those in Rule 7 of the Utah Rules of Criminal Procedure.

Supreme Court Order

Posted: February 3, 2026

Rules of Juvenile Procedure – Effective January 21, 2026

URJP015. Preliminary inquiry; informal adjustment without petition. Amend. The adopted language to paragraph (d) is a response to Senate Bill 157 (2025), which amended Utah Code section 80-6-304 to require probation officers to inform minors of their right to consult counsel—and how to access counsel—before declining a nonjudicial adjustment. Additional adopted changes remove references to “parent, guardian, or custodian” from paragraphs (b), (c), (d), and (e). These revisions reflect that Utah Code section 80-6-303.5 does not require parental participation or agreement for a minor to enter a nonjudicial adjustment.

Supreme Court Order

Posted: January 26, 2026

Code of Judicial Administration – Effective May 1, 2026

CJA 3-109. Ethics Advisory Committee (AMEND)
The proposed amendments: 1) clarify the process by which ethics advisory opinions are requested and issued; and 2) make non-substantive formatting changes.

CJA 4-202.10. Record Sharing (AMEND)
The proposed amendments add the Office of Professional Conduct to the list of entities authorized to access nonpublic juvenile court records.

CJA 4-906. Guardian ad litem program (AMEND)
The proposed amendments: 1) change annual reporting from August to October in (3)(I) to allow the director and chair to report on legislative grants and requests more accurately; 2) increase compensation for conflict guardians ad litem in (6)(D) to attract experienced attorneys to handle conflict cases; and 3) make grammatical and stylistic changes.

Judicial Council Order

Posted: January 23, 2026

Rules of Appellate Procedure – Effective January 23, 2026

URAP022. Computation and enlargement of time. Amend. The Amendments to Rule 22 include: 1) changed enlargement of time to extension of time throughout the rule for consistency; 2) moved the stipulation language from Rule 26 to Rule 22 so the procedures for extensions of time can be found in one rule; 3) increased the amount of stipulated requests for extensions of time to up to 60 days; 4) clarified that stipulated requests for enlargements of time will be granted automatically without a court order; 5) removed paragraph (c) Ex parte motion as these are rarely used and can be filed as a regular motion for extension of time; and 6) cleaned-up for clarity and consistency.

Standing Order 17

Supreme Court Order

Posted: January 13, 2026

Mandatory Continuing Legal Education Rule Changes – Effective May 1, 2026

USB011-613. CLE Accreditation for qualified audio and video presentations, webcasts, computer interactive programs, writing, lecturing, teaching, public service, and verified attendance. AMEND. The change to the MCLE Rule 11-613 allows lawyers and Licensed Paralegal Practitioners to receive one hour of elective CLE credit for every 1,000 words up to a maximum of three elective CLE credit hours per compliance cycle.

Supreme Court Order