Category: URAP025

Rules of Appellate Procedure – Effective May 1, 2022

URAP025. Amicus curiae briefs. Amend.  Amended rule to: (1) modify the language throughout to rule to mirror the federal rule; (2) incorporate the language from Rule 50 regarding amicus curiae briefs; (3) allow an amicus curiae brief to be filed without leave of court if all parties have consented to its filing; (4) provide a word count length requirement; (5) change the due date from 21 days to 14 days in 25(d); (6) add language in 25(g) addressing responsive briefs; (7) change the due date from 14 days to 7 days in 25(a); and (8) clean up other language for clarity and consistency.

URAP050. Response; reply. Amend. Amended rule to: (1) remove all mention of amicus curiae briefs and incorporate that language into Rule 25; (2) replace the phrase “subject index” with “table of contents” in 50(b); (3) change the due date from 14 days to 7 days in 50(d); (4) incorporate Standing Order 11; and (5) clean up other language for clarity and consistency.

Supreme Court Order

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Rules of Appellate Procedure – Effective December 1, 2018

URAP023B. The amendments to Rule 23B Motion for remand for findings necessary to determination of ineffective assistance of counsel claim, clarifies when a motion must be filed.

URAP025. The amendments to Rule 25 Brief of an amicus curiae or guardian ad litem, change a reference to Rule 50.

URAP050. The amendments to Rule 50, Response; reply; brief of amicus curiae, provide that a party may file a response to a petition and how the time for the response shall run. The amendment permits a party to file a letter in lieu of a formal response, deletes language regarding distribution of filings by the clerk, and establishes a time for filing a reply to a response.

URAP051. The amendment to Rule 51 Disposition of petition for writ of certiorari, deletes a reference to Rule 50.

Supreme Court Order

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Rules of Appellate Procedure – Effective May 1, 2018

URAP021. Filing and service. Amend. Amended Rule 21 clarifies the “prisoner mailbox rule,” which will promote consistency, clarity, and certainty in inmate litigation. A virtually identical amendment has also been added to the Utah Rules of Civil Procedure.

URAP025. Brief of an amicus curiae or guardian ad litem. Amend. This is a conforming amendment to amended URAP 25A.

URAP025A. Challenging the constitutionality of a statute or ordinance. Amend. This amendment gives the Attorney General the right to appear at oral argument whenever an amicus brief has been filed pursuant to the rule.

URAP030. Decision of the court: dismissal; notice of decision. Amend. The amendment, which deletes the word “dismissal” in the title, corrects an anomaly because nowhere in the rule does it mention the word or provide for dismissing an appeal.

URAP037. Suggestion of mootness; voluntary dismissal. Amend. The proposed amendment makes several changes to the rule.

  • Subdivision (a). The changes are intended to clarify and simplify a party’s obligation to bring to the court’s attention those circumstances that render moot one or more issues presented for review on appeal.
  •  Subdivision (b). The amended subdivision provides that if all parties to an appeal agree that the appeal should be dismissed, and if they stipulate to a motion for voluntary dismissal, then the appeal must be promptly dismissed. The committee felt that the proposed change would encourage prompt and efficient settlements. It also felt that dismissal of the appeal is constitutionally appropriate when the parties have agreed to a voluntary dismissal because there is no longer a justiciable case or controversy. Finally, the committee considered deleting the last sentence on fees and costs, but instead it opted to simply rework the sentence to read: “The stipulation must specify the terms of payment of costs and fees, if any.”
  •  Subdivision (c). The proposed amendment provides an efficient way for an attorney who is unable to contact his or her client to obtain the necessary affidavit to support a motion for voluntary dismissal, while still protecting the appellant’s right to appeal. The proposal also requires the attorney to certify that he or she has reasonable grounds to believe that the appellant no longer wishes to pursue the appeal. The committee concluded that a certification from the attorney is appropriate because it safeguards the appellant’s right to an appeal, and it also avoids having the attorney reveal confidential communications with the client in an affidavit.
  •  Subdivision (d). The current subdivision —“[a] suggestion of mootness or motion for voluntary dismissal shall be subject to the appellate court’s approval”— has been deleted for the same reasons mentioned in subdivision (b).
URAP055. Petition on appeal. Amend. Amended Rule 55 gives the court discretion to dismiss an untimely filed petition in a child welfare case, rather than requiring dismissal.

Supreme Court Order 

 

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Rules of Appellate Procedure

URAP 001. Scope of rules. Amend. Makes technical changes and clarifies which appellate rules apply in child welfare proceedings.
URAP 004. Appeal as of right; when taken. Amend. Clarifies the process for filing a motion for extension of time to file a notice of appeal based on good cause or based on good cause or excusable neglect.
URAP 019. Extraordinary writs. Amend. Changes references to rule 8A to rule 23C in line with the renumbering of rule 8A effective November 1, 2014.
URAP 025. Brief of amicus curiae or guardian ad litem. Amend. Makes technical changes and clarifies that the deadline for filing a motion for leave to file a brief of amicus curiae or guardian ad litem does not apply when a motion for leave is filed under URAP 50(f).
URAP 047. Certification and transmission of record; joint and separate petitions; cross-petitions; parties. Rename and amend. Removes the requirement for certification of the record. Provides that the Clerk of the Supreme Court shall notify the Clerk of the Court of Appeals to transmit the record on appeal to the Supreme Court when a petition for certiorari has been granted.
URAP 048. Time for petitioning. Amend. Clarifies the process for filing a motion for extension of time to file a petition for writ of certiorari based on good cause or based on good cause or excusable neglect.
Supreme Court Order.

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Rules of Appellate Procedure

URAP 19. Extraordinary writs. Amend. The amendment will require a petitioner seeking extraordinary relief to state whether interlocutory appeal was sought, and if so, the results of the petition.
URAP 25. Brief of an amicus curiae or guardian ad litem. Amend. The proposal establishes specific deadlines for filing a brief of an amicus curiae.
URAP 37. Suggestion of mootness; voluntary dismissal. Amend. The amendments clarify that a suggestion of mootness should be filed only when one or more, but less than all, of the issues have become moot. If all the issues are moot, a motion for voluntary dismissal must be filed. The amendments also establish a process for filing a request for dismissal. The request must be in the form of a motion and is subject to court approval.
URAP 38. Substitution of counsel. Amend. The amendments clarify the process for substituting a party when a party becomes incompetent or for other causes.
URAP 49. Petition for writ of certiorari. Amend. A petition of writ of certiorari shall include references to the record on appeal or to the opinion of the Court Appeals, rather than referring to both sources.
URAP 50. Brief in opposition; reply brief; brief of an amicus curiae. Amend. The proposal establishes a more detailed process for submitting a proposed amicus brief, including the contents of the brief and deadlines.
Supreme Court Order

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Rules of Appellate Procedure

URAP 5. Discretionary appeals from interlocutory orders. Require petition for review of interlocutory order be filed before court will consider request for stay.
URAP 8. Stay or injunction pending appeal. Modify procedural requirements for requesting a stay pending appeal.
URAP 10. Motion for summary disposition. Technical amendments.
URAP 22. Computation and enlargement of time. Technical amendments.
URAP 25. Brief of an amicus curiae or guardian ad litem. Provide to the court more direct control over whether to permit an amicus brief.
URAP 27. Form of briefs. Require notice of incarceration and Anders brief.
URAP 35. Petition for rehearing. Prohibit petition for rehearing by amicus.
URAP 38B. Qualifications for Appointed Appellate Counsel. Establish minimum qualifications for appointed counsel in appellate cases.

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