Category: Uncategorized

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

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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

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Posted: January 8, 2026

Rules of Evidence – Effective May 1, 2026

URE0404. Character evidence; crimes or other acts. Amend. The amendments to the text of the rule are technical rather than substantive in nature. Additionally, a new advisory committee note clarifies that consideration of the Shickles factors is no longer mandatory, but that they may be relevant and properly considered depending on the facts and circumstances of the case.

URE0408. Compromise offers and negotiations. Amend. Amendments to the text of this rule are likewise technical rather than substantive. A new advisory committee note observes that the rule differs from its federal counterpart.

URE0510. Miscellaneous matters. Amend. Amendments to the text of the rule are technical only. A reference has been added to legislation last year substantively amending this rule.

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Posted: October 30, 2025

Rules of Civil Procedure – Effective November 1, 2025

URCP007. Pleadings allowed; motions, memoranda, hearings, orders. AMEND. – The amendments to this rule include subparagraph (b)(4) regarding orders related to subpoenas under Rule 45, and adding motions that may be acted upon without waiting for a response under subparagraph (l).

URCP010. Form of pleadings and other papers. AMEND. – The amendments to this rule clarify in subparagraph (e) that orders electronically filed by attorneys must follow these signature line requirements, as well as include amendments to conform to the style guide for the rules.  The Supreme Court has ordered the expedited effectiveness of the amendments to this rule pursuant to Code of Judicial Administration, Rule 11-105. This rule will also be sent out for public comment.

URCP026.4. Provisions governing disclosure in contested proceedings under titles 75, 75A, or 75B of the Utah Code. AMEND. – The amendments to this rule clarify the information that needs to be provided regarding any less restrictive alternatives to guardianship or conservatorship, and reflect the recodification of the probate code  to reference additional Utah Code titles.

URCP030. Depositions upon oral questions. AMEND.  – The amendments to this rule include subparagraph (b)(6) to add clarity regarding objections to a subpoena and depositions, and amendments to conform with the style guide for the rules.

URCP037. Statement of discovery issues; Sanctions; Failure to admit, to attend deposition or to preserve evidence. AMEND. – The amendments to this rule add a reference to objections under rule 45(e)(4) to the statement of discovery issues in subparagraph (a)(2), as well as to subparagraph (a)(3), to add person subject to and non parties affected by subpoenas to the proposed order requirements found in (a)(5), to remove subparagraph (b)(6), and amendments to correct references to other rules as well as conform with the style guide for the rules.

URCP045. Subpoena. AMEND. – The amendments to this rule add a written requirement to subparagraph (e)(4), to clarify the process found in subparagraph (e)(5) regarding responses to objections and compliance, and amendments to conform with the style guide for the rules.

URCP101. Motion practice before court commissioners. AMEND. – The amendments to this rule clarify scope, content, oral motions, service on unrepresented parties, exhibits and admissible evidence, page limits, hearings and orders.

Supreme Court Order

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Posted: October 28, 2025

Code of Judicial Administration – Effective November 1, 2025

CJA 3-201.  Court commissioners (AMEND)
The amendments authorize the Management Committee to approve court commissioner selections.

CJA 3-407.  Accounting (AMEND)
The Board of Justice Court Judges voted to adopt the Court’s Accounting Manual as the standard for all justice courts. The amendments: 1) broaden the scope of the manual to include justice courts; 2) add two members of the Justice Court Education Committee to the Accounting Manual Review Committee; and 3) make non-substantive formatting changes.

CJA 3-413. Judicial library resources (AMEND)
The amendments modify which print publications are provided to each district and juvenile courtroom. The amendments are necessary due to significant price increases for print publications and the discontinuation of statewide bulk ordering by Legislative Services.

Judicial Council Order

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Posted: October 1, 2025

Rules of Appellate Procedure – Effective November 1, 2025

URAP003. Appeal as of right: how taken. Amend. The amendments to Rule 3 remove language that may cause parties to limit the issues on appeal inadvertently.

URAP029. Oral Argument. Amend. The amendments to Rule 29 include: 1) add a procedure for parties to request to appear remotely in the Supreme Court; 2) add a procedure for parties to request to appear remotely in the Court of Appeals; and 3) clean up language and format for clarity and consistency.

Supreme Court Order

 

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Posted: October 1, 2025

Rules of Juvenile Procedure – Effective November 1, 2025

URJP034. Pre-trial hearing in non-delinquency cases. Amend. In response to In re J.M., 2024 UT App 147, the approved amendments to Rule 34 include: (1) stylistic and grammatical changes that aim to provide clarity; (2) in paragraph (c), articulation of the court’s process in informing respondents of their rights and potential consequences upon adjudication of the petition; (3) removal of the language in paragraph (d)–this language is contained in Rule 19–and replacing it with the requirement to capture of a respondent’s answer in open court; (4) in paragraph (e), when a respondent declines to admit or deny the allegations, the respondent can proceed with an “uncontested answer;” (5) paragraph (f) directs the court to find that admissions or uncontested answers and waiver of rights are knowing and voluntary; (6) and in paragraph (g), provide a mechanism to respondents seeking relief from admissions or uncontested answers.

Supreme Court Order

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Posted: September 30, 2025

Rules Governing the Utah State Bar – Admissions -Effective October 1, 2025

USB14-701. Definitions. Amend.
– General cleanup for clarity and consistency.
– Adds definition for “Alternate Path”.
– Adds definition for “Alternate Path Examination”.
– Adds definition for “Experiential Learning”.
– Adds definition for “Final semester”.
– Adds definition for “Professional Responsibility”.

USB14-703. Qualifications for admission of Student Applicants. Amend.
– General cleanup for clarity and consistency.
– Changes language to account for the Alternate Path as a means to admission.

USB14-703A. Alternate Path. Requirements. New.
– Outlines requirements for the Alternate Path method of admission to the Bar.

USB14-707. Application; deadlines; withdrawals; postponements and fees. Amend.
– General cleanup for clarity and consistency.

USB14-716. License fees; enrollment fees; oath and admission. Amend.
– General cleanup for clarity and consistency.

Supreme Court Order

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Posted: August 26, 2025

Rules of Criminal Procedure – Effective November 1, 2025

URCrP007.  Initial proceedings for class A misdemeanors and felonies. Amend. The amendments to Rule 7 feature both non-substantive formatting and language updates, and a substantive change adding a new subparagraph. State and federal law requires reporting certain information in protective orders to UCJIS and NCIS databases. In an effort to increase protections for crime victims, and to ensure the continuity of data regarding protective orders maintained at the state and federal level, Rule 7 now requires that at the commencement of a prosecution by information or citation, law enforcement agencies provide identifying information for the defendant to the court to include with any required or requested pretrial protective order.

URCrP007A. Procedures for arraignment on Class B or C misdemeanors, or infractions. Amend. The amendments to Rule 7A mirror those described for Rule 7.

Supreme Court Order

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Posted: August 18, 2025

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