Category: CJA04-0202.03

Code of Judicial Administration – Comment Period Closed February 3, 2024

CJA03-0108. Judicial assistance (AMEND). Authorizes the presiding officer of the Judicial Council to appoint a juvenile court presiding judge as the signing judge for automatic expungement orders in juvenile court cases within the presiding judge’s district.

CJA04-0202.02. Records classification (AMEND) 

CJA04-0202.03. Records access (AMEND)

*Note: Rule drafts include amendments approved by the Judicial Council on November 20, 2023, also effective January 1, 2024.
Amends records classification and access to certain juvenile court social records, juvenile court legal records, and adoption records to align with rules of procedure and Utah code. Amendments also allow attorneys representing individuals authorized access to adoption, expungement, and juvenile court social records to obtain copies of the records with a signed and notarized release.
CJA04-0208. Automated case processing procedures (AMEND). Expands the rule to encompass an automated expungement process for successful nonjudicial adjustments in juvenile court cases and prohibits judges from manually issuing automatic expungement orders outside of automated processes approved by the Judicial Council.
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Code of Judicial Administration – Comment Period Closed November 3, 2023

CJA06-0301. Authority of court commissioner as magistrate. (AMEND). Within the bounds of Utah Code section 78A-5-107 and constitutional limitations on the delegation of judicial authority, the proposed amendments broaden commissioners’ magistrate authority. The rule identifies the types of cases and matters court commissioners are authorized to hear and the types of relief and orders they may recommend. The rule also establishes timely judicial review of recommendations and orders made by a court commissioner.

CJA04-0202.08. Fees for records, information, and services. (AMEND). The proposed amendments 1) clarify that personnel time may be charged to copy records, 2) clarify that court appointed attorneys qualify for a fee waiver if they are requesting records on behalf of an indigent client and the client would qualify for a waiver, and 3) add a provision regarding bulk data. Bulk data fees and individual hourly rates removed from the rule would be posted on the court webpage.

CJA04.0202.02. Records classification. (AMEND)

CJA04-0202.03. Records access. (AMEND).

The proposed amendments classify video records of court proceedings, other than security video, as sealed and limit access to 1) official court transcribers for the purposes outlined in Rule 5-202, 2) court employees if needed to fulfill official court duties, and 3) anyone by court order. Individuals denied access may file a motion with the court under Rule 4-202.04.

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Code of Judicial Administration – Comment Period Closed June 8, 2023

CJA04-0202.03. Records access (AMEND).

CJA04-0202.05. Request to access an administrative record; research; request to classify an administrative record; request to create an index (AMEND).  The proposed amendments align the rules with Utah Code Sections 77-40a-403(2)(b) and 77-40a-404, identifying individuals and entities who may access expunged records. Other amendments are non-substantive and intended to streamline the rules.

CJA04-0404. Jury selection and service (AMEND). The proposed amendments add the option to email juror qualification forms and summonses to prospective jurors.

CJA06-0501. Reporting requirements for guardians and conservators (AMEND). In response to previous public comments, the proposed amendments clarify filing requirements and use of forms for guardians and conservators.

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Code of Judicial Administration – Comment Period Closed July 15, 2022

The following rules are approved for a 45-day public comment period.

CJA04-020.03. Records access. (AMEND). Allows a petitioner in an expunged case to obtain a certified copy of the expungement order and case history upon request and in-person presentation of positive identification. This mirrors the process for adoptive parents in obtaining a certified copy of the adoption decree.

CJA06-0501. Reporting requirements for guardians and conservators. (AMEND). Incorporates changes related to H.B. 320 (Guardianship Bill of Rights), streamlines and clarifies exceptions to reporting requirements, outlines procedures and timelines for approval of and objection to reports, and requires the use of a Judicial Council-approved cover sheet and report forms that are substantially the same as Judicial Council-approved forms.

The following rules will go into effect May 23, 2022. Pursuant to CJA Rule 2-205, Expedited rulemaking procedure, the rules are subject to a 45-day comment period. 

CJA04-0508.  Guidelines for ruling on a motion to waive fees. (AMEND). The proposed amendments are in response to S.B. 87, effective May 4, 2022. Among other things, SB 87 amends provisions regarding affidavits of indigency and requires a court to find an individual indigent under certain circumstances.

CJA01-0204. Executive committees. (AMEND).

CJA01-0205. Standing and Ad Hoc Committees. (AMEND).

Creates a Standing Committee on Working Interdisciplinary Network of Guardianship Stakeholders (WINGS). Renames the Policy and Planning Committee to the “Policy, Planning, and Technology Committee.” In addition to its current responsibilities, the committee will now review and recommend technology policies and priorities. The Standing Technology Committee is dissolved.

The following rule will go into effect July 1, 2022. Pursuant to CJA Rule 2-205, Expedited rulemaking procedure, the rule is subject to a 45-day comment period. 

CJA09-0109. Presiding Judges. (AMEND). Simplifies the leadership structure of justice courts and addresses the compensation disparity related to presiding and associate presiding judges by eliminating the position of Education Director. The Associate Presiding Judge will assume education duties.

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Code of Judicial Administration – Comment Period Closed July 6, 2019

CJA01-0204. Executive Committees. AMEND – Clarifies role of Policy and Planning Committee regarding human resources policies and procedures.

CJA03-0402. Human Resources Administration. AMEND – Updates committee membership and clarifies workflow for processing proposed revisions to the human resource policies and procedure.

CJA04-020.03. Records access. AMEND – Permits a parent or guardian of a minor victim to access the disposition order entered in a delinquency case.

CJA04-0903. Uniform custody evaluations. AMEND – Adds “Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor” to list of professionals who may perform custody evaluations.  Removes from the rule the list of factors required to be considered by evaluator, instead directing that all custody factors set forth in statute must be considered.

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Code of Judicial Administration – Comment Period Closed August 10, 2018

CJA03-0401. Office of General Counsel.  Amend.  Deletes certain unnecessary and outdated provisions.  Removal of the language in lines 39-42 does not abdicate Judges’ responsibility to make their own decisions pursuant to the Code of Judicial Conduct.

CJA03-0414. Court Security.  Amend.  Allows the Court Security Director to possess a firearm and ammunition in a courthouse when qualified and requires court access cards to be color-coded.

CJA04-0403. Electronic Signature and Signature Stamp Use.  Amend.  Adds “orders appointing a court visitor” to the list of documents on which a clerk may use a judge’s signature stamp, with prior approval from a judge or commissioner.

CJA04-0701. Failure to Appear.  Amend.  Deletes the reference to failures to appear as a separate offense pursuant to S.B. 58, which eliminated the crime of failure to appear on a citation.

CJA04-0202.03. Records Access.  Amend.  Allows for access to certain records for Licensed Paralegal Practitioners.  Allows access to juvenile court social records by entities or individuals providing services to juveniles.

CJA04-0202.09. Miscellaneous.  Amend.  Adds specific requirements for records access requests for email correspondence.

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Code of Judicial Administration

CJA 04-0202.02. Records classification. Amend. Classifies appellate filings, including briefs, as public. Classifies records maintained and prepared by juvenile probation, except for those filed with the court, as protected.
CJA 04-0202.03. Records access. Amend. Provides that a person given access to a record in order for juvenile probation to fulfill a probation responsibility may access a safeguarded record.
CJA 04-0202.04. Request to access a record associated with a case; request to classify a record associated with a case. Amend. Provides that a party with an interest in a case may move or petition a court with jurisdiction or a court that no longer has jurisdiction to reclassify a record or to have information redacted from the record. Adds all possible classifications. Provides that the relevant rules of procedure apply to such motions or petitions. Gives the appellate clerk responsibility for protecting sealed briefs and removing information ordered to be redacted. Provides that a court order is only binding on the court, the parties to the petition, and the state law library, unless otherwise ordered.
CJA 04-0202.09. Miscellaneous. Amend. Provides that a party may move, or a non-party interested in a record may petition, to classify a record as private, protected, sealed, safeguarded, juvenile court legal, or juvenile court social, or to redact non-public information from a public record.
CJA 04-0205. Security of court records. Amend. Provides that an appellate clerk is responsible for expunging records upon an order of expungment, but that a brief will be public unless it is otherwise classified through an order on a motion or petition.
CJA 04-0901. Mandatory electronic filing in juvenile court. New. Requires that pleadings and other papers filed in existing juvenile court cases on or after December 1, 2015 shall be filed electronically in C.A.R.E. Requires that pleadings and other papers filed to initiate juvenile court cases on or after August 1, 2016 shall be filed electronically in C.A.R.E.

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Code of Judicial Administration

CJA 02-0103. Open and closed meetings. Amend. Technical changes. Adopts for the Judicial Council the new requirements of public bodies under SB 77. Effective May 14, 2013 under Rule 2-205. Subject to change after the comment period.
CJA 02-0104. Recording meetings. Amend. Requires additional public records to be published on the Utah Public Notice Website. Adopts for the Judicial Council the new requirements of public bodies under SB 77. Effective May 14, 2013 under Rule 2-205. Subject to change after the comment period.
CJA 03-0414. Court security. Amend. Removes duplicate reference to proselytizing in a courthouse.
CJA 04-0202.02. Records classification. Amend. Classifies the addendum to an appellate brief in a case involving termination of parental rights or adoption as a private record. Establishes the classification of a “safeguarded” record and which records are safeguarded records. Describes when jurors’ names are public, private or safeguarded.
CJA 04-0202.03. Records access. Amend. Describes who has access to safeguarded records. Modifies who has access to the juvenile court social file.
CJA 04-0403. Signature stamp use. Amend. Deletes acceptance of pleas in abeyance from the list of documents on which the clerk can sign for the judge with a signature stamp.
CJA 04-0906. Guardian ad litem program. Amend. Implements the requirements of Section 78A-2-228 for private guardian ad litem attorneys. Effective July 1, 2013 under Rule 2-205. Subject to change after the comment period.
CJA 06-0401. Domestic relations commissioners. Amend. Includes dating violence protective orders, authorized by HB 50, within the authority of court commissioners. Effective May 14, 2013 under Rule 2-205. Subject to change after the comment period.

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Code of Judicial Administration

CJA 02-0204. Local supplemental rules. Amend. Modifies the process by which local rules are approved.
CJA 03-0202. Court referees. Amend. In conjunction with Rule 4-704, prohibits courts from appointing court referees by whatever title, and permits clerks, under the direction of the judge and with the consent of the prosecutor and defendant, to resolve select cases to a determined outcome using a plea in abeyance process.
CJA 04-0202.01. Definitions. Amend. Excludes from the definition of a “record” documents prepared or received by a person in the person’s private capacity and documents that do not relate to the public’s business.
CJA 04-0202.02. Records classification. Amend. Removes investigative subpoenas from the list of protected records. Section 77-22-2 will regulate access to investigative subpoenas. Changes the classification of PSI reports from private to protected. Designates additional circumstances in which the name of a minor is public. Classifies as “protected” records subject to the attorney client privilege.
CJA 04-0202.03. Records access. Amend. Clarifies who has access to a private or a protected court record.
CJA 04-0202.05. Request to access an administrative record; research; request to classify an administrative record; request to create an index. Amend. Permits releasing non-public records for research purposes if the interests favoring the research are greater than or equal to the interests favoring closure.
CJA 04-0401.01. Electronic media coverage of court proceedings. New. Replaces Rule 4-401. Permits electronic media coverage of any public court hearing. Describes application and approval process. Establishes factors for denying electronic media coverage. Describes limits.
CJA 04-0401.02. Possession and use of portable electronic devices. New. Permits possession and use of portable electronic devices in courthouses. Allows judge to restrict use in courtrooms.
CJA 04-0405. Juror and witness fees and expenses. Amend. Requires prosecutors to certify to the number of miles for which a witness is entitled to payment.
CJA 04-0704. Authority of court clerks. Amend. Permits clerks, under the direction of the judge and with the consent of the prosecutor and defendant, to resolve select cases to a determined outcome using a plea in abeyance process.
CJA 06-0401. Domestic relations commissioners. Amend. Recognizes the authority of court commissioners to hear child protective order cases. Effective June 25, 2012 under Rule 2-205. Subject to change after the comment period.
CJA 07-0102. Duties and authority of Juvenile Court Commissioners. Amend. Recognizes the authority of court commissioners to hear child protective order cases. Effective June 25, 2012 under Rule 2-205. Subject to change after the comment period.

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Code of Judicial Administration

CJA 03-0101. Judicial nominating commissions. Repeal. Under HB 289, the Judicial Council no longer has authority for rules regulating Judicial Nominating Commissions.
CJA 04-0202.03. Records access. Amend. Resolve a conflict with URCP 107(a).
CJA 04-0801. Transfer of small claims cases. Amend. Require filing small claims cases in justice courts. Proposed effective date: September 1, 2010.

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