Judiciary

Utah Code tit. 78A, ch. 78A-1, pt. 78A-1-P1

in effect

Utah Code § 78A-1-101 Courts of this state -- Courts of record.

78A-1-101. Courts of this state -- Courts of record. (1) The following are the courts of this state: (a) the Supreme Court; (b) the Court of Appeals; (c) the Business and Chancery Court; (d) the Constitutional Court if Chapter 5b, Constitutional Court, takes effect as described in Section 78A-5b-102; (e) the district courts; (f) the juvenile courts; and (g) the justice courts. (2) All courts are courts of record, except the justice courts, which are courts not of record. Amended by Chapter 38, 2026 General Session

Utah Code § 78A-1-102 Trial courts of record -- Geographical divisions.

78A-1-102. Trial courts of record -- Geographical divisions. (1) The district and juvenile courts are divided into eight geographical divisions: (a) First Judicial District, which includes Box Elder, Cache, and Rich Counties; (b) Second Judicial District, which includes Weber, Davis, and Morgan Counties; (c) Third Judicial District, which includes Salt Lake, Summit, and Tooele Counties; (d) Fourth Judicial District, which includes Utah, Wasatch, Juab, and Millard Counties; (e) Fifth Judicial District, which includes Beaver, Iron, and Washington Counties; (f) Sixth Judicial District, which includes Garfield, Kane, Piute, Sanpete, Sevier, and Wayne Counties; (g) Seventh Judicial District, which includes Carbon, Emery, Grand, and San Juan Counties; and (h) Eighth Judicial District, which includes Daggett, Duchesne, and Uintah Counties. (2) The Business and Chancery Court is not divided into geographical divisions. (3) If Chapter 5b, Constitutional Court, takes effect as described in Section 78A-5b-102, the Constitutional Court is not divided into geographical divisions. Amended by Chapter 38, 2026 General Session

Utah Code § 78A-1-103 Number of district court judges.

78A-1-103. Number of district court judges. The number of district court judges is: (1) four district court judges in the First Judicial District; (2) 14 district court judges in the Second Judicial District; (3) 33 district court judges in the Third Judicial District; (4) 14 district court judges in the Fourth Judicial District; (5) eight district court judges in the Fifth Judicial District; (6) two district court judges in the Sixth Judicial District; (7) three district court judges in the Seventh Judicial District; and (8) three district court judges in the Eighth Judicial District. Amended by Chapter 10, 2026 General Session

Utah Code § 78A-1-103.5 Number of Business and Chancery Court judges -- Disqualification or recusal of a Business and Chancery Court judge.

78A-1-103.5. Number of Business and Chancery Court judges -- Disqualification or recusal of a Business and Chancery Court judge. (1) The Business and Chancery Court shall consist of one judge. (2) If there are fewer than three judges for the Business and Chancery Court under Subsection (1), the presiding officer of the Judicial Council shall designate a pool of two district court judges to preside over actions in the Business and Chancery Court. (3) A district court judge designated under Subsection (2) may preside over an action when each Business and Chancery Court judge is unable to preside over an action due to recusal or disqualification. Amended by Chapter 158, 2024 General Session

Utah Code § 78A-1-103.7 Number of Constitutional Court judges.

78A-1-103.7. Number of Constitutional Court judges. If Chapter 5b, Constitutional Court, takes effect as described in Section 78A-5b-102, the Constitutional Court shall consist of three judges. Enacted by Chapter 38, 2026 General Session

Utah Code § 78A-1-104 Number of juvenile court judges.

78A-1-104. Number of juvenile court judges. The number of juvenile court judges is: (1) two juvenile court judges in the First Judicial District; (2) six juvenile court judges in the Second Judicial District; (3) nine juvenile court judges in the Third Judicial District; (4) seven juvenile court judges in the Fourth Judicial District; (5) three juvenile court judges in the Fifth Judicial District; (6) two juvenile court judges in the Sixth Judicial District; (7) two juvenile court judges in the Seventh Judicial District; and (8) two juvenile court judges in the Eighth Judicial District. Amended by Chapter 148, 2024 General Session

Utah Code § 78A-1-105 Merger of district court and circuit court.

78A-1-105. Merger of district court and circuit court. (1) Effective July 1, 1996, the circuit court shall be merged into the district court. The district court shall have jurisdiction as provided by law for the district court and shall have jurisdiction over all matters filed in the court formerly denominated the circuit court. (2) The district court shall continue the judicial offices, judges, staff, cases, authority, duties, and all other attributes of the court formerly denominated the circuit court. (3) Judges of the court formerly denominated the circuit court shall: (a) on July 1, 1996, be judges of the district court; and (b) next stand for retention election at the first general election held more than three years after their appointment or at the general election held in the sixth year after their last retention election, as applicable. Renumbered and Amended by Chapter 3, 2008 General Session

Utah Code § 78A-1-106 Transition clause -- Recodification of Title 78.

78A-1-106. Transition clause -- Recodification of Title 78. For purposes of a matter pending in any court beginning February 7, 2008 through August 31, 2008, citation to an appropriate section in the previous Title 78, Judicial Code, shall be considered a proper citation to the corresponding section in Title 78A, Judiciary and Judicial Administration, or Title 78B, Judicial Code. Enacted by Chapter 123, 2008 General Session

Utah Code § 78A-1-107 Savings clause -- Recodification of Title 78.

78A-1-107. Savings clause -- Recodification of Title 78. The provisions of Title 78A, Judiciary and Judicial Administration, and Title 78B, Judicial Code, are considered a continuation of the previous Title 78, Judicial Code. No loss of rights, interruption of jurisdiction, or prejudice to matters pending in any court on February 7, 2008, shall result from the enactment of Title 78A, Judiciary and Judicial Administration, and Title 78B, Judicial Code. With respect to the organization of the courts, the offices of all officers and employees, shall be construed as continuations of the previous Title 78, Judicial Code. The tenure of justices, judges, justices of the peace, officers, and employees of the courts in office on February 7, 2008, is not affected by its enactment. Enacted by Chapter 123, 2008 General Session

Source: Utah Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel (le.utah.gov)URL: https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title78A/Chapter1/78A-1-P1.html?v=C78A-1-P1_1800010118000101Fetched: 10/26/2026