Utah Court Records

The Utah Courts Website serves as an informational hub, breaking down the organization and the different levels of the Utah State Court System, including trial courts (Justice, Juvenile, and District Courts) and two appellate courts (the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals).

In Utah, Justice Courts handle class B and C misdemeanors, small claims, and infractions. The Juvenile Court has original jurisdiction over children under 18 years of age who break any federal, state, or municipal law, and abused, neglected, or dependent children. The District Court is Utah’s trial court of general jurisdiction that initially hears all civil cases and all criminal felonies. 

The Court of Appeals handles all appeals from the Juvenile and District Courts, except those from the small claims department of a District Court.  The highest court in Utah is the Supreme Court, which has original jurisdiction to hear cases involving state law certified from the Federal Courts and to issue extraordinary writs. The Court also has appellate jurisdiction over first-degree and capital felony convictions from the District Court and civil judgments other than domestic cases.

Under Utah law, Utah Code of Judicial Administration Rule 4-202.02 provides public access to most court records. However, some may be restricted or sealed due to the case type or privacy laws. Utah’s Government Records Access and Management Act also supports public access to state government records with certain exceptions.