Courts in Response to the COVID-19 Virus

Some might ask how the current pandemic, Corona Virus, or COVID-19, has impacted Utah’s courts. As more and more cases are coming into light in our state, Utah has ranked the 15th state in how aggressively we are acting to fight this active virus’s spread. In response to this, the courts have halted all case hearings and trials at this time. Unfortunately, this extends the time frame of all cases by at least the next thirty days, or until the government has decided that the risk of spreading this virus further has subsided. In looking at the Utah state court website, the Utah Supreme Court Chief Justice, Matthew Durrant, issued a general order that all non-essential hearings are to be postponed. To determine if your case qualifies as ‘essential,’ you may contact the Utah State Court Web Navigator directly on their website: UTcourts.gov. At this time, courthouses will remain open to accept filings. However, anyone showing symptoms of COVID-19, or have been exposed to COVID-19, will not be allowed to enter courthouses under any circumstances. The courts heavily encourage you to contact them via phone or email with any questions or concerns that you might have. The Utah Court of Appeals has suspended all oral arguments at this time, except for those involving child custody or welfare as well as juvenile detention. Please note, all jury trials set between March 13, 2020, and April 10, 2020, will be continued. However, any pre-trial conferences associated with those cases have been canceled. Those cases will be reset utilizing the court’s video conferencing calendars. Anyone at risk (60 years of age or older, pregnant, or having chronic medical conditions), or who may have had exposure to someone with COVID-19, is asked to immediately contact their attorney and make them aware of the situation so that each case is handled accordingly. Your attorney will need to request a continuance of your case on your behalf. The form you will need to have filled out and given go the courts to request this continuance may be found directly on the court’s website. Alternatively, if you do not have internet access, you may call into the courts at (801) 535 – 6300.