Utah Court Rules – Published for Comment – Page 16 – The Supreme Court and Judicial Council invite comments about amending these rules. To view the proposed amendment, click on the rule number. To submit a comment or view the comments of others, click on “Continue Reading.” To submit a comment, scroll down to the “Leave a Reply” section, and type your comment in the “Comment” field. Type your name and email address in the designated fields and click “Post Comment.” Comments cannot be acknowledged, but all will be considered. Comments are saved to a buffer for review before publication.

Posted: July 14, 2022

Rules of Criminal Procedure – Comment Period Closed August 28, 2022

URCrP008. Appointment of counsel. (AMEND). The language of this rule has been amended to clarify when the right to counsel applies to defendants charged with a criminal offense. The rule also includes a new subsection to explain the right to self-representation and how a defendant may waive the right to counsel. The colloquy courts should engage with defendants seeking to waive the right is provided in this addition. Finally, the rule clarifies the prerequisite qualifications for attorneys appointed to represent defendants charged in capital cases.

Posted: July 14, 2022

Rules of Criminal Procedure – Comment Period Closed August 28, 2022

URCrP042. Expungement. (NEW). Pursuant to U.C.J.A. Rule 11-105, the Utah Supreme Court has approved Rule 42 of the Utah Rules of Criminal Procedure for expedited adoption and another round of public comment. This version of the Rule includes technical and substantive corrections to match procedures for automatic expungement provided by Utah Code Ann. 77-40a-201. The Rule further contemplates protocol that the Administrative Office of the Courts will follow to create lists of expungement-eligible cases and identify and remove from those lists cases that do not meet eligibility criteria or are objected to by victims or prosecutors.

Posted: July 14, 2022

Rules of Appellate Procedure – Comment Period Closed August 28, 2022

URAP004. Appeal as of right: when taken. Amend. The Committee is posting for public comment proposed changes to Rule 4(f) again after numerous comments were received, and additional changes were made to the proposed rule amendment. The Committee previously proposed the following changes: (1) add to the rule the standard governing motions to reinstate the time for appeal; (2) restructure the section to be consistent with subsection 4(g) (addressing reinstating the right to appeal in civil cases); (3) clean up language for clarity and consistency; and (4) included a one-year deadline from discovery of facts giving rise to the claim.

After reviewing the comments received the Committee removed the three examples from Manning v. State, 2005 UT 61, 122 P.3d 628, previously located under paragraph (f)(5) because, as Manning recognized, those examples did not provide the exclusive grounds for reinstating the right to appeal. See id. ¶31 n.11.

The Committee also worked on rewording the one-year deadline to make it even more flexible by allowing district courts to hear claims that are brought after the one-year deadline, provided a defendant can show that she brought her claim within a reasonable time. The Committee agreed that a flexible deadline was necessary because missing the deadline prevents a criminal defendant (who will usually be incarcerated and pro se) from asserting her constitutional right to appeal.

Posted: July 14, 2022

Rules of Professional Conduct – Comment Period Closed August 28, 2022

RPC01.16. Declining or terminating representation. AMEND. In accordance with Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668 (1984), Roe v. Flores-Ortega, 528 U.S 470 (2000), and ABA Standard 4-9.1, codifies in new paragraph (e) the ethical obligation of defense counsel to secure a criminal defendant’s right to appeal.

RPC08.04(c). Misconduct. AMEND. Codifies in new paragraph (2) Ethics Advisory Opinion 02-05, which concluded that 8.4(1)(c) (conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation) does not apply to government attorneys overseeing an otherwise legal undercover criminal investigation.

Posted: June 27, 2022

Code of Judicial Administration – Comment Period Closed August 11, 2022

CJA04-0206. Exhibits. (Amend). For clarification purposes, “biological evidence” has been added to the non-exhaustive list of exhibits that will remain in the custody of parties during trial and a reference to Title 53, Chapter 20, Forensic Biological Evidence Preservation, has been added to paragraph (5) to draw parties’ attention to their responsibilities regarding disposal of biological evidence.

Posted: May 31, 2022

Code of Judicial Administration – Comment Period Closed July 15, 2022

The following rules are approved for a 45-day public comment period.

CJA04-020.03. Records access. (AMEND). Allows a petitioner in an expunged case to obtain a certified copy of the expungement order and case history upon request and in-person presentation of positive identification. This mirrors the process for adoptive parents in obtaining a certified copy of the adoption decree.

CJA06-0501. Reporting requirements for guardians and conservators. (AMEND). Incorporates changes related to H.B. 320 (Guardianship Bill of Rights), streamlines and clarifies exceptions to reporting requirements, outlines procedures and timelines for approval of and objection to reports, and requires the use of a Judicial Council-approved cover sheet and report forms that are substantially the same as Judicial Council-approved forms.

The following rules will go into effect May 23, 2022. Pursuant to CJA Rule 2-205, Expedited rulemaking procedure, the rules are subject to a 45-day comment period.

CJA04-0508. Guidelines for ruling on a motion to waive fees. (AMEND). The proposed amendments are in response to S.B. 87, effective May 4, 2022. Among other things, SB 87 amends provisions regarding affidavits of indigency and requires a court to find an individual indigent under certain circumstances.

CJA01-0204. Executive committees. (AMEND).

CJA01-0205. Standing and Ad Hoc Committees. (AMEND).

Creates a Standing Committee on Working Interdisciplinary Network of Guardianship Stakeholders (WINGS). Renames the Policy and Planning Committee to the “Policy, Planning, and Technology Committee.” In addition to its current responsibilities, the committee will now review and recommend technology policies and priorities. The Standing Technology Committee is dissolved.

The following rule will go into effect July 1, 2022. Pursuant to CJA Rule 2-205, Expedited rulemaking procedure, the rule is subject to a 45-day comment period.

CJA09-0109. Presiding Judges. (AMEND). Simplifies the leadership structure of justice courts and addresses the compensation disparity related to presiding and associate presiding judges by eliminating the position of Education Director. The Associate Presiding Judge will assume education duties.

Posted: May 18, 2022

Rules of Juvenile Procedure – Comment Period Closed July 2, 2022

URJP025A. Withdrawal of plea. Amend. Removes subsections (a) and (b)(1) because they are substantive rules that are provided for in Utah Code section 80-6-306. Amends subsection (b)(2) to mirror Utah Code section 80-6-306, and removes the heading number (b)(2).

Posted: May 5, 2022

Rules of Appellate Procedure – Comment Period Closed June 19, 2022

The Committee proposes amending the listed rules to (1) add “or declaration” any time affidavit is mentioned; (2) add an Advisory Committee Note explaining that the term “declaration” refers to the unsworn declaration described in Title 78b, Chapter 18a, Uniform Unsworn Declarations Act; (3) move the reference to the statute in Rule 37 to an Advisory Committee Note so the rules will be consistent; and (4) remove language in Rules 8 and 17 regarding other sworn statements.

URAP008. Stay or injunction pending appeal.

URAP017. Stay pending review.

URAP023B. Motion to remand for findings necessary to determination of ineffective assistance of counsel claim.

URAP029. Oral argument.

URAP037. Suggestion of mootness; voluntary dismissal.

Posted: April 7, 2022

Rules of Civil Procedure – Comment Period Closed May 22, 2022

URCP026.01. Disclosure and discovery in domestic relations actions. AMEND. There was a potential for ambiguity between the deadlines stated in URCP 26 and 26.1 for service of initial disclosures in domestic relations actions. The change to the first line in part (b) provides clarification.

URCP076. Notice of contact information change. AMEND. Further change to the last amendment adding “or other court order” to the last line after protective order and stalking injunction.

Posted: March 28, 2022

Rules of Professional Practice – Comment Period Closed May 12, 2022

RPP11-0581. Sanctions. Amend. Clarifies that if a lawyer is placed on probation the status of probation is public, but the terms of their probation may be private.

RPP11-0582. Factors to be considered in imposing sanctions. Amend. This amendment requires the factfinder to consider the presumptive sanctions set forth in the rules, along with any mitigating and aggravating factors. This amendment also adds a section to provide guidance when multiple instances of misconduct are found.

RPP11-0583. Imposition of sanctions. Repeal/Replace with New Rules. This amendment repeals existing rule 11-583 addressing appropriate sanctions and replaces it with four new rules (rules 11-583 through 11-586) that set forth presumptive sanctions based on the nature of the duty violated.

RPP11-0583. Presumptive sanctions for violating duties owed to clients. New. This new rule provides presumptive sanctions to be imposed upon finding that the lawyer violated duties owed to clients, including candor, competence, diligence, conflicts of interest, and failing to preserve a client’s property and confidence.

RPP11-0584. Presumptive sanctions for violating duties owed to the public. New. This new rule provides presumptive sanctions to be imposed upon finding that the lawyer failed to maintain personal integrity, generally, by committing a criminal act. Additionally, this new rule provides presumptive sanctions for violations of Rule 3.8, Special responsibilities of a prosecutor.

RPP11-0585. Presumptive sanctions for violating duties owed to the legal system. New. This new rule provides presumptive sanctions to be imposed upon finding that the lawyer has engaged in conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice. This rule relates to deceit, fraud, misrepresentation, improper communication with individuals in the legal system, and abuse of the legal process.

RPP11-0586. Presumptive sanctions for violating duties owed as a member of the legal profession. New. This new rule provides presumptive sanctions to be imposed upon finding that the lawyer has engaged in conduct involving misleading communications about a lawyer or a lawyer’s services, unreasonable or improper fees, unauthorized practice of law, failure to report professional misconduct, and failure to respond to a lawful request from disciplinary authority.