Utah State Law Library http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/ Serving Utahns' legal research needs since 1852* en Copyright 2012 Fri, 26 Oct 2012 13:47:03 -0700 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/?v=3.2 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Guardianship of an Adult forms IMG_1186.JPGThe Utah State Courts website has a new self help resource page on Guardianship of an Adult. This page provides a detailed summary of guardianship, a guardian's authority, and the procedures for appointing a guardian. The forms section includes forms for appointing a guardian, forms to object to the petition, and forms to appoint a temporary guardian.

To learn more about the adult guardianship process, see the Utah State Courts' YouTube video on Guardianship of an Adult.

]]> http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2012/10/guardianship_of_an_adult_forms.html http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2012/10/guardianship_of_an_adult_forms.html Forms Fri, 26 Oct 2012 13:47:03 -0700 Free Forms Help IMG_4199.jpgHaving trouble filling out court forms? So many blank lines, so much information to absorb, so many questions!

The Utah State Law Library offers free forms help every Tuesday and Thursday from 1:30 to 4:30 through the end of July.

Our volunteer helps people with the Online Court Assistance Program (OCAP) and other forms, including modification and enforcement of child support, child custody and parent-time, expungement, and name change.

While our volunteer can't tell you what words you should use, or advise you about the best way to get results, she can explain what information the form is asking for. Uncomfortable using a computer? She can type in your answers for you.

Contact us at 801-238-7990 or library@utcourts.gov to schedule a 30 minute appointment.

]]> http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2012/06/free_forms_help.html http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2012/06/free_forms_help.html Forms Fri, 01 Jun 2012 10:11:48 -0700 Order to Show Cause Forms Available Online Order to Show Cause forms are now available online on the Utah State Courts' website.

An order to show cause is filed when a party seeks to enforce a previously established court order or decree. The main objective of the show cause hearing is to get the party who is not following the court’s order to do so. If a party is able to do what the court has ordered and does not, the court can also impose penalties, including, in extreme circumstances, a fine and time in jail.

Procedures for filing an order to show cause are similar around the state, but there are some differences. Motions for orders to show cause in Districts 1, 2, 3 and 4 will be determined initially by a court commissioner and parties should follow Rule of Civil Procedure 101. Motions for orders to show cause in Districts 5, 6, 7 and 8 will be determined by a judge. Parties in the Fifth District should follow Code of Judicial Administration Rule 10-1-50-1. Orders to show cause are filed in the same district where the original order or decree was entered.

For more information, and to access the forms, visit the Motion to Enforce Domestic Orders page.

]]> http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2012/02/order_to_show_cause_forms_avai.html http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2012/02/order_to_show_cause_forms_avai.html Self-Help Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:49:48 -0700 Buyer Beware - Do Your Research Before Paying for Court Forms moneyThe Utah State Courts' website - www.utcourts.gov - provides a wealth of information and free forms.

Library staff feel terrible when patrons tell us they paid hundreds of dollars for divorce papers when we know they could have completed the paperwork using the courts' website. We feel even worse when they are told that their papers aren't sufficient. Before you pay for online forms, check our website to see whether a free, court-approved form is available.

Some of the forms provided on our website are fill-in-the-blank. You can either print a PDF version and neatly handwrite the information, or you can use the Word (in some cases WordPerfect) version and type the information. Remember, however, that there is not a form available for every situation. You may have to draft your own pleadings.

Our website also offers the Online Court Assistance Program (OCAP), which guides you through a series of questions and generates a packet of papers that you file with the court. While there is a $20 fee to file papers generated with the program, OCAP is otherwise free to use and is designed to be user-friendly. OCAP is available for these common court case types:

  • Divorce
  • Parentage (child custody, support and visitation, and paternity issues, but not as part of a divorce case)
  • Landlord-tenant (for both the landlord starting eviction proceedings, and the tenant responding to an eviction case)
  • Guardianship of a minor
  • Protective orders
  • Civil stalking

Helpful Resources

  • If you have questions about how to complete forms or want feedback on papers you put together, or if you need guidance on your case, we strongly encourage you to speak with a Utah attorney or visit one of Utah's free legal clinics, at which you can speak with an attorney for free for a short amount of time.
  • Watch our 8-minute presentation, How to Read a Legal Pleading in Utah, to get a tour of basic pleading format.
  • See Form 1, Caption & Signature Block, for the format for the top and bottom portions of a court pleading.

    ]]> http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2011/09/buyer_beware_do_your_research.html http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2011/09/buyer_beware_do_your_research.html Forms Tue, 27 Sep 2011 08:39:11 -0700 New Judgment Renewal Forms renewjudgment.JPG
    The Utah State Courts' website has a new Motion to Renew Judgment page.

    If you have a judgment against a debtor that has not been satisfied, you have the option to renew a judgment by motion, but it must be done within the statute of limitations. The statute of limitations for renewing a judgment is 8 years from the date of the judgment. Utah Code 78B-2-311. If the debtor acknowledges the judgment in writing or promises to pay the judgment in writing or makes a payment on the judgment, the statute of limitations is 8 years from the date of the last of those to occur. Utah Code 78B-2-113.

    Read more about judgment statute of limitations, renewing a judgment in district and justice courts, find forms and more on the new Motion to Renew Judgment page.

    ]]>     http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2011/06/new_judgment_renewal_forms_1.html http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2011/06/new_judgment_renewal_forms_1.html Forms Wed, 29 Jun 2011 10:48:32 -0700     New Satisfaction of Judgment Forms SatisfactionofJudgment.bmpThe Utah State Courts' website has a new Satisfaction of Judgments web page.

    A satisfaction of judgment means that a debtor has paid the entire amount of the judgment and all accumulated fees, costs and interest, or that the creditor has decided not to pursue further collection efforts.

    There are forms available for the creditor to acknowledge satisfaction of judgment and for the debtor to ask the court to declare a judgment has been satisfied. Each section of forms comes with a checklist, which may answer some of your questions about these forms.

    Need help filling out a court form? Talk to an attorney or visit a free legal clinic near you.

    ]]>     http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2011/06/satisfaction_of_judgment_forms.html http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2011/06/satisfaction_of_judgment_forms.html Forms Wed, 22 Jun 2011 08:12:37 -0700     New Common Law Marriage Page and Forms A new Judicial Recognition of a Relationship as Marriage page is now available on the Utah State Courts' website.

    This process is commonly referred to as "common law marriage," and is the recognition by the courts that a relationship is a marriage even though no wedding ceremony -- religious or civil -- took place.

    The page includes an explanation of the conditions that have to be met to qualify, reasons why you might want to ask the court for the determination, and the effect of this determination. The page provides forms for cases in which there is no dispute expected.

    If you need help filling out forms, consider hiring an attorney or speaking to a lawyer at a free legal clinic.


    ]]>     http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2011/04/new_common_law_marriage_page_a.html http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2011/04/new_common_law_marriage_page_a.html Forms Wed, 06 Apr 2011 13:16:05 -0700     New Alternative Service Forms altservice.jpg
    Not able to find someone to serve them, even after you've tried some of the suggestions on the courts' Finding People for Service of Process page?

    The Utah State Courts' website now provides forms for asking the court to allow you to serve someone by alternative service. These forms include options for newer ways to notify someone about a court action against them, including electronic means (such as email), or social media (such as Facebook).

    If you need help filling out forms, consider hiring an attorney or speaking to a lawyer at a free legal clinic.

    ]]>     http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2011/03/new_web_page_and_forms_alterna.html http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2011/03/new_web_page_and_forms_alterna.html Forms Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:18:52 -0700     New Adoption of a Minor Stepchild Webpage and Forms adoption.jpg
    The Utah State Courts' website has a new Adopting a Minor Stepchild web page. The new page provides information about the process and forms.

    The primary focus of this page is on procedures when everyone involved is in agreement and cooperating. It does not include information or forms for litigating the adoption, and it does not include information or forms for other types of adoptions, such as adoptions through an agency, adoptions by other family members, or adoptions of an adult.

    If you need help filling out forms, consider hiring an attorney or speaking to a lawyer at a free legal clinic.

    ]]>     http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2011/03/new_forms_adoption_of_a_minor.html http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2011/03/new_forms_adoption_of_a_minor.html Forms Thu, 10 Mar 2011 17:00:03 -0700     Modifying Child Custody Orders custody.bmpCustody of minor children is a major issue in many family law cases. Custody orders may be issued by the district or juvenile court. Custody may be established by the court as a separate action or as part of a number of different types of cases, including divorce, paternity, protective orders, or neglect and dependency.

    Sometimes parents find it necessary to ask the court to modify an existing custody order. A custody order can be modified if the court determines that there has been a material and substantial change in circumstances since the the controlling order was made and that the change in custody would be an improvement for and in the best interest of the minor child.

    Information and forms for modification of child custody are now available on the court website.

    ]]>     http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2010/12/modifying_child_custody_orders_1.html http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2010/12/modifying_child_custody_orders_1.html Forms Wed, 29 Dec 2010 14:27:41 -0700     New Motion Forms motions.jpgWe get a lot of requests for motion forms in the law library.

    A motion is a mechanism for asking the court to order something. The requests range from asking for more time to dismissing the case, from waiving filing fees or the 90 day waiting period in a divorce to granting a default judgment ... and many other topics.

    There aren't specific forms for every possible type of motion, but now there is a new Motions page on the Utah State Courts' website people can use as a guide to draft their request to the court.

    The Motions page includes information about motion practice before Utah judges and commissioners, examples of types of motions, forms for filing and for responding to a motion, and links to other resources.

    ]]>     http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2010/12/new_motion_forms.html http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2010/12/new_motion_forms.html Forms Thu, 09 Dec 2010 14:35:48 -0700     New Expungement Forms The Board of District Court Judges approved new expungement forms to comply with the changes in the Utah Expungment Act that were made in the 2010 legislative session.

    The forms are available on the Utah State Courts' website here.

    Questions? Contact the Law Library at 801-238-7990 or email library@email.utcourts.gov.

    ]]>     http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2010/07/new_expungement_forms.html http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2010/07/new_expungement_forms.html Forms Tue, 20 Jul 2010 11:30:34 -0700     New Modifying Parent-Time Forms The new Utah State Courts' web page on Modifying Parent-Time provides information about jurisdiction (does the court have legal authority to hear the case?), default judgments and the forms necessary to both request and respond to modifying parent-time.

    Use these modification forms only if you already have an original order controlling parent-time. Note that if parents do not agree to a parent-time schedule, the legislature provides for minimum parent-time for both children under 5 and children 5 to 18 years of age.

    If you need assistance filling out these forms, consider hiring an attorney or speaking to a lawyer at a free legal clinic.

    ]]>     http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2010/03/new_modifying_parenttime_forms_1.html http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2010/03/new_modifying_parenttime_forms_1.html Forms Mon, 15 Mar 2010 10:22:39 -0700     New on OCAP: Protective Orders for Minor Children and Enforcement of Domestic Orders OCAP, the Online Court Assistance Program, offers an interactive electronic tool to prepare the documents needed for several types of civil actions in Utah's state courts. For example, among the existing programs are divorce, parentage, and guardianship of a minor child.

    Now available are two new programs. One provides the court documents to try to obtain a protective order on behalf of a minor child. You can choose to use either OCAP or to download fill-in-the-blank forms already available on the court website.

    OCAP's new enforcement of domestic orders system provides documents required to ask the court to enforce existing domestic orders. It offers help with preparing orders to show cause, responses to orders to show cause, registrations of foreign orders, as well as several others.

    ]]>     http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2009/10/new_on_ocap_protective_orders_1.html http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2009/10/new_on_ocap_protective_orders_1.html Forms Fri, 09 Oct 2009 11:43:31 -0700     Parenting Plan Form Now Available on Court Website A parenting plan outlines how parents who are now living separately will raise their children. It encourages parents to think ahead about how they will make decisions and resolve disagreements. A parenting plan is required in Utah for shared parenting or custody arrangements and is permitted in other parenting arrangements approved by the court.

    Parents in a domestic relations case must file a parenting plan whenever a party asks the court to create or change a shared parenting arrangement. Any arrangement other than full legal and physical custody held by one parent is a shared parenting arrangement.

    Parenting plans are part of the Online Court Assistance Program for divorce or parentage actions. However, sometimes parents need to create a parenting plan on their own or are ordered to do so by the court. Now available on the court website is a stand-alone parenting plan form. Information about the legal requirements of a parenting plan and links to further resources are also available on the website.

    ]]>     http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2009/10/parenting_plan_form_now_availa.html http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2009/10/parenting_plan_form_now_availa.html Forms Tue, 06 Oct 2009 15:56:52 -0700