Rules of Juvenile Procedure – Comment Period Closes January 5, 2026
URJP003. Style of pleadings and forms. Amend. The proposed change to Rule 3(b) permits 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 proposed 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. Paragraph (g) now incorporates the caution language from Rule 36 of the Utah Rules of Civil Procedure, with a shortened timeframe. Finally, new paragraphs (n) and (o) relocate provisions currently found in Rule 20 of the Utah Rules of Juvenile Procedure. (Changes to Rule 20 are forthcoming.)
URJP022. Initial appearance and preliminary hearing in cases under Utah Code sections 80-6-503 and 80-6-504. Amend. The proposed change to Rule 22(g) amends the preliminary hearing timeframes. 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.
Second Comment Period
URJP015. Preliminary inquiry; informal adjustment without petition. Amend. Rule 15 is being posted for a second public comment period. The added 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. This change remains part of the proposal. Additional proposed 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.