Rules of Juvenile Procedure – Comment Period Closes February 1, 2025

URJP016. Transfer of delinquency case. Amend. The proposed amendments to Rule 16 aim to provide clear and consistent direction regarding the transfer of and venue in a delinquency case while upholding the belief and best practice that a minor is best served by their “home judge.” In the initial stages, paragraph (a) limits the transfer of a referral to the county of occurrence to when a minor or the minor’s parent, guardian, or custodian cannot be located or fails to appear for a preliminary inquiry or the minor declines the offer for a nonjudicial adjustment. Proposed paragraph (b) then establishes the venue for arraignment and pretrial proceedings as the minor’s county of residence. According to paragraph (c), trial proceedings will be transferred to the county of occurrence. Paragraph (c) also provides further direction regarding different types of motions. Changes to paragraph (d) bring the process of transferring a case up-to-date and in-line with eFiling and the C.A.R.E. system.

URJP029. Multiple county offenses. Amend. The proposed changes to Rule 29 are tied to the proposed changes to Rule 16 of the Utah Rules of Juvenile Procedure. Paragraph (a) again establishes that arraignment and pretrial proceedings must occur in the minor’s county of residence. When transferring, paragraph (b) makes reference to Rule 16.