-Rules of Appellate Procedure – Page 2 – Utah Court Rules

Posted: October 27, 2022

Rules of Appellate Procedure – Comment Period Closed December 11, 2022

URAP020. Habeas corpus proceedings. Repeal/Add Advisory Committee Note. The Committee is posting for public comment the addition of an Advisory Committee Note to the repealed rule. This note is intended to alleviate concerns in regards to repealing Rule 20. The Committee previously proposed repealing Rule 20 because it is superfluous and confusing, and could prejudice a criminal defendant’s opportunity to seek relief under the Post-Conviction Remedies Act (PCRA). Rules 65B and 65C of the civil rules, together with the PCRA, Utah Code § 78B-9-101 to -110, already provide mechanisms to challenge the lawfulness of any official detention.

URAP019. Extraordinary writs. The Committee proposes amending Rule 19 to: (1) incorporate a page and word limit, and a certificate of compliance, similar to the requirements in Rule 24 regarding briefs; (2) add the ability for the petitioner to file a reply after service of a response; (3) increase the amount of time to file a response from 7 days to 30; (4) add an Advisory Committee Note advising parties that although Rule 20 has been repealed, they still have the ability to file directly to the Supreme Court under Rule 19 under appropriate circumstances; and (5) clean up language for clarity and consistency.

URAP023. Motions. The Committee proposes substituting “discussion” for “memorandum.” The Committee believes that the word “memorandum” can lead individuals to file unnecessarily a separate document containing the facts and arguments supporting their requests, rather than merely including those facts and arguments in the original petition or motion.

URAP023C. Motion for emergency relief. The Committee proposes amending Rule 23C to (1) change the reference to Rule 19; (2) change the rule reference in paragraph (e) concerning form of papers from Rule 23(f) to Rule 27, as paragraph 23(f) was relocated to Rule 27 effective November 1, 2021; and (3) correct formatting for consistency. The rule currently refers to a specific subparagraph in Rule 19 that will be renumbered under the proposed amendments. To avoid cross-referencing problems that future amendments may create, the Committee recommends directing parties to the general rule rather than a specific paragraph.

Posted: July 14, 2022

Rules of Appellate Procedure – Comment Period Closed August 28, 2022

URAP004. Appeal as of right: when taken. Amend. The Committee is posting for public comment proposed changes to Rule 4(f) again after numerous comments were received, and additional changes were made to the proposed rule amendment. The Committee previously proposed the following changes: (1) add to the rule the standard governing motions to reinstate the time for appeal; (2) restructure the section to be consistent with subsection 4(g) (addressing reinstating the right to appeal in civil cases); (3) clean up language for clarity and consistency; and (4) included a one-year deadline from discovery of facts giving rise to the claim.

After reviewing the comments received the Committee removed the three examples from Manning v. State, 2005 UT 61, 122 P.3d 628, previously located under paragraph (f)(5) because, as Manning recognized, those examples did not provide the exclusive grounds for reinstating the right to appeal. See id. ¶31 n.11.

The Committee also worked on rewording the one-year deadline to make it even more flexible by allowing district courts to hear claims that are brought after the one-year deadline, provided a defendant can show that she brought her claim within a reasonable time. The Committee agreed that a flexible deadline was necessary because missing the deadline prevents a criminal defendant (who will usually be incarcerated and pro se) from asserting her constitutional right to appeal.

Posted: May 5, 2022

Rules of Appellate Procedure – Comment Period Closed June 19, 2022

The Committee proposes amending the listed rules to (1) add “or declaration” any time affidavit is mentioned; (2) add an Advisory Committee Note explaining that the term “declaration” refers to the unsworn declaration described in Title 78b, Chapter 18a, Uniform Unsworn Declarations Act; (3) move the reference to the statute in Rule 37 to an Advisory Committee Note so the rules will be consistent; and (4) remove language in Rules 8 and 17 regarding other sworn statements.

URAP008. Stay or injunction pending appeal.

URAP017. Stay pending review.

URAP023B. Motion to remand for findings necessary to determination of ineffective assistance of counsel claim.

URAP029. Oral argument.

URAP037. Suggestion of mootness; voluntary dismissal.

Posted: March 23, 2022

Rules of Appellate Procedure – Comment Period Closed May 7, 2022

URAP014. Review of administrative orders: how obtained; intervention. Amend

The Advisory Committee on the Rules of Appellate Procedure recommends amending Rule 14, which addresses review of administrative orders, to allow parties to file a cross-petition when a petition for review is filed by another party. The proposal responds to the Utah Court of Appeals’ observation that allowing cross-petitions in administrative appeals would further judicial efficiency. See Watson v. Lab. Comm’n, 2020 UT App 170, ¶1 n.1, 480 P.3d 353.

Posted: March 10, 2022

Rules of Appellate Procedure – Comment Period Closed April 24, 2022

URAP004. Appeal as of right: when taken. Amend. The proposed amendments to Rule 4, subsection (f), addressing reinstating the right to appeal in criminal cases; are to (1) add that a motion to reinstate must be filed within one year from discovery of facts giving rise to the claim; (2) include the standard governing such motions; (3) restructure the section to be consistent with subsection 4(g) (addressing reinstating the right to appeal in civil cases); (4) and clean up language for clarity and consistency.

URAP020. Habeas corpus proceedings. Repeal. The Utah Supreme Court’s Advisory Committee on the Rules of Appellate Procedure recommends repealing Rule 20 because it is superfluous and confusing, and could prejudice a criminal defendant’s opportunity to seek relief under the Post-Conviction Remedies Act (PCRA). Rules 65B and 65C of the civil rules, together with the PCRA, Utah Code § 78B-9-101 to -110, already provide mechanisms to challenge the lawfulness of any official detention.

Posted: January 19, 2022

Rules of Appellate Procedure – Comment Period Closed March 5, 2022

URAP010. Extension of time. Amend. The proposed amendments to Rule 10, subsection (d): address enlargements of time for filing memoranda under the simplified appeals process to make the language regarding the deadline for such motions consistent with that in Rules 22(a) and 22(b)(3).

URAP011. The record on appeal. Amend. The proposed amendments to Rule 11: (1) address the Court’s concerns—that arose in Arreguin-Leon v. Hadco Constr., LLC, 2020 UT 59, 472 P.3d 927—about defining what constitutes the record on appeal and the procedures for correcting or supplementing the record on appeal; (2) clarify and adjust the deadlines for ordering transcripts, ensuring that indigent parties have the opportunity to review the case before being required to order transcripts; (3) incorporate the Court’s Standing Order 11 (regarding filing documents by email); and (4) make other changes to conform with the Appellate Clerks’ Office current practice.

URAP012. Transmitting the record. Amend. The proposed amendments to Rule 12: (1) recognize the current practice of utilizing electronic records and the appellate court’s transcript management system; (2) incorporate the Court’s Standing Order 11 (regarding filing documents by email); and (3) make other changes to conform with the Appellate Clerks’ Office current practice.

Posted: December 2, 2021

Rule of Appellate Procedure – Comment Period Closed January 16, 2022

URAP025. Amicus curiae briefs. Amend. The proposed amendments to Rule 25: (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) added language in 25(g) addressing responsive briefs; and (7) clean up other language for clarity and consistency.

Posted: July 27, 2021

Rules of Appellate Procedure – Comment Period Closed September 10, 2021

URAP023. Motions. Amend. The proposed amendments remove all language regarding form requirements in 23(f) and incorporate that language into Rule 27.

URAP027. Form of briefs. Amend. The proposed amendments: (1) combine form requirements for briefs, motions, and other documents into one rule; (2) incorporate language regarding form requirements from Rule 23(f); and (3) clean up other language for clarity and consistency.

URAP030. Decision of the court: dismissal; notice of decision. Amend. The proposed amendments clarify what constitutes the entry of a decision in 30(d) and (e).

URAP031. Expedited appeals decided after oral argument without written opinion. Amend. The proposed amendments: (1) include language in 31(b)(1) allowing the Court to consider expedited decision upon stipulation of the parties; (2) remove the language in 31(d) regarding appeals ineligible for expedited decision; and (3) clean up other language for clarity and consistency.

URAP054. Transcript of proceedings. Amend. The proposed amendments update instructions for ordering transcripts in 54(a).

URAP055. Petition on appeal. Amend. The proposed amendments: (1) change the deadline in 55(a) for filing the petition on appeal to 15 days from the transmission of the record, rather than from filing the notice of appeal; (2) modify 55(b) to allow appointed appellate counsel to file the petition on appeal; and (3) include a requirement that appellate counsel be appointed within 21 days of the notice of appeal.

URAP056. Response to petition on appeal. Amend. The proposed amendments: (1) replace the page requirement with a word requirement in 56(b); and (2) comport the rule with Standing Order No. 11.

URAP057. Record on appeal; transmission of record. Amend. The proposed amendments update language regarding record transmission in 57(b).

URAP058. Ruling. Amend. The proposed amendments remove the language in 58(b) regarding the remand to juvenile court to appoint appellate counsel.

Posted: April 8, 2021

Rules of Appellate Procedure – Comment Period Closed May 23, 2021

URAP015. Petitions for review in tax cases. Amend. The proposed amendments to Rule 15: (1) remove the statutory citations in 15(a) and 15(c); (2) rework the language in 15(c); and (3) clean up other language for clarity and consistency.

URAP025. Amicus curiae briefs. Amend. The proposed amendments to Rule 25: (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); and (6) clean up other language for clarity and consistency.

URAP050. Response; reply. Amend. The proposed amendments to Rule 50: (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.

Posted: February 5, 2021

Rules of Appellate Procedure – Comment Period Closed March 22, 2021

URAP043. Certification by the Court of Appeals to the Supreme Court. Amend. The proposed amendments to Rule 43: (1) change the due date from ten days to 14 days in 43(b)(1); (2) comport the rule with Standing Order 11 (regarding filing documents by email); and (3) clean up other language for clarity and consistency.