Author: Utah Courts

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Rules of Court-Annexed Alternative Dispute Resolution Comment Period Closes July 13, 2026

URCADR0104. Rules of Court-Annexed Alternative Dispute Resolution, Rule 104. Code of Ethics for ADR Providers. AMEND.  The proposed amendments include language that adds the facilitators who conduct Online Dispute Resolution for the Justice Courts to the ethical requirements found in this rule, along with amendments to update the rule and to conform to the Supreme Court’s style guide for the rules.

 

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Code of Judicial Administration – Comment Period Closes July 6, 2026

CJA03-306.04. Interpreter appointment, payment, and fees (AMEND)
The proposed amendments require that all interpreter appointments be made using an interpreter scheduling process approved by the Council.

CJA03-409. Court facilities planning (AMEND)
The proposed amendments (1) remove references to the now disbanded Court Facility Planning Committee, (2) update the responsibilities and reporting duties of the Court Facilities Director and court executives, and (3) make non-substantive formatting changes.

CJA04-202.12. Request by victim to use initials rather than name (NEW)
Under House Bill 102, for offenses occurring on or after July 1, 2026, a crime victim can choose to use their initials rather than their names in charging documents and other public-facing filings and documents. The amendments: 1) establish a process for victims to make a request; 2) require prosecutors to file a corrected charging document if a request is made after the charging document was filed; and 3) classify charging documents listing the victim’s name as “private” records pending the receipt of an amended charging document.

CJA03-110. Judicial officer financial disclosures (NEW)
New rule requiring all judicial officers to submit annual financial disclosures on a form approved by the Council.

CJA04-202.02. Records classification (AMEND)
The amendments: 1) classify court records identifying a victim by name rather than initials as “private,” if a valid and timely request is made under CJA rule 4-202.12, and 2) classify unredacted judicial officer financial disclosure forms as “protected records.”

CJA03-412. Procurement of goods and services (AMEND)
The amendments bring the rule in line with the Utah Procurement Code.

CJA04-102. Case, calendar, and panel assignments (AMEND)
In response to Senate Bill 257, the amendments direct district courts to assign any case or proceeding involving the same child or family to a single judge, to the extent possible.

CJA01-205. Standing and Ad Hoc Committees (AMEND)  
The amendments: 1) dissolve the Court Facilities Planning Committee, 2) amend the membership of the Uniform Fine Committee and the Committee on Children and Family Law, and 3) amend the membership of and certain provisions regarding the Guardian ad Litem Oversight Committee to coincide with amendments in House Bill 372.

 

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Rules Governing the Utah State Bar – Admissions – Comment Period Closes June 8, 2026

USB4-722. Petition to Waive a Rule in Extraordinary Circumstances. New. The proposed rule establishes a process for an applicant to seek a rule waiver. It clearly sets forth the “extraordinary circumstances” standard and adds an advisory note referencing relevant opinions from this Court. The change also states that the Court will not grant a rule waiver without requesting a response from the Bar, which will alleviate some burden on the Bar to respond to every petition filed under the rule.

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Supreme Court Rules of Professional Practice – Comment Period Closed June 5, 2026

SCRP01-530. Unprofessional Conduct Complaints. AMEND. The proposed amendments are intended to clarify the Lawyer discipline process before the Office of Professional Conduct (OPC) and the Utah Supreme Court’s Ethics and Discipline Committee (the Committee), including what relief may be sought, who may file a disciplinary Complaint, the OPC’s investigation of the allegations in a Complaint, and the circumstances when the OPC may dismiss or decline to prosecute a disciplinary Complaint. The amendments also address the manner in which a Complainant may appeal the OPC’s dismissal of or declination to prosecute a Complaint to the Committee chair, the standards applicable to such appeals, and what records the chair will review in connection with an appeal. In addition, the amendments specify what may occur when the Committee chair reverses an OPC dismissal.

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Rules of Juvenile Procedure – Comment Period Closed June 5, 2026

URJP018. Summons; service of process; notice. Amend. The proposed amendments primarily aim to amend paragraph (d) to allow email notice of further proceedings without requiring a party’s prior consent, similar to Rule 5 of the Utah Rules of Civil Procedure. Several other amendments are proposed to improve clarity, including more specific cross-references to other bodies of rules. The proposal also includes merging paragraphs (f) and (g) to clarify that papers not requiring summons must be served according to Rule 5 of the Utah Rules of Civil Procedure, and that eFiling through the C.A.R.E. system does not constitute service.

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Rules of Professional Conduct – Comment Period Closed June 4, 2026

RPC01.0. Terminology. AMEND. The proposed amendments to a group of rules (1.0, 1.5, and 1.4) coincide with the new proposed rule 5.8 to address fee sharing between lawyers.  These four rules went out for public comment toward the end of 2025. After public comments were received, a few additional proposed amendments were made to the rules including the definition of “referral fees” in 1.0, along with 1.5(a), 5.8(a) and (c), and 5.4(c).

RPC01.5. Fees. AMEND. The proposed amendments to a group of rules (1.0, 1.5, and 1.4) coincide with the new proposed rule 5.8 to address fee sharing between lawyers. These four rules went out for public comment toward the end of 2025. After public comments were received, a few additional proposed amendments were made to the rules including the definition of “referral fees” in 1.0, along with 1.5(a), 5.8(a) and (c), and 5.4(c).

RPC05.4. Professional independence of a lawyer. AMEND. The proposed amendments to a group of rules (1.0, 1.5, and 1.4) coincide with the new proposed rule 5.8 to address fee sharing between lawyers.  These four rules went out for public comment toward the end of 2025. After public comments were received, a few additional proposed amendments were made to the rules including the definition of “referral fees” in 1.0, along with 1.5(a), 5.8(a) and (c), and 5.4(c).

RPC05.8. Fee sharing between lawyers. AMEND. The proposed amendments to a group of rules (1.0, 1.5, and 1.4) coincide with the new proposed rule 5.8 to address fee sharing between lawyers.  These four rules went out for public comment toward the end of 2025. After public comments were received, a few additional proposed amendments were made to the rules including the definition of “referral fees” in 1.0, along with 1.5(a), 5.8(a) and (c), and 5.4(c).

RPC01.4. Communication. AMEND. The proposed amendment to this rule in subparagraph (a)(1) reflects the correct subparagraph in rule 1.0, along amendments to conform to the rules style guide.

RPC08.4. Misconduct. AMEND. The proposed amendment to this rule adds a new comment [3b] regarding the conditioning of a resolution to a legal dispute upon a promise to withdraw or not file a complaint for misconduct.

 

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Rules of Appellate Procedure – Comment Period Closed May 4, 2026

URAP048. Time for petitioning. Amend. The Committee proposes amending Rule 48 to put into rule an internal process that states a rejected petition for writ of certiorari or other filing, will be construed as an extension of time.

URAP049. Petition for writ of certiorari. Amend. The Committee proposes amending Rule 49 to add paragraph (f) and put into rule an internal process that allows the clerk to reject a petition if it does not substantially comply with the content requirements of paragraph (a). Note: This public comment period is only regarding the addition of paragraph (f). The other proposed amendments are also currently out for public comment, posted February 24, 2026, closes April 10, 2026.

URAP055A. Motion to remand for findings necessary to determination of ineffective assistance of counsel claim. Amend. The Committee proposes amending Rule 55A to include a procedure for the juvenile court to transmit the supplemental record to the appellate court.

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