The Utah State Court System functioned through a multi-tiered structure consisting of two appellate courts, several trial courts, and two administrative bodies. The appellate level was comprised of the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals, while the trial court level included District, Juvenile, and Justice Courts.
The judicial hierarchy structure
These trial courts were located within each of the state's eight judicial districts. Administrative oversight was provided by the Judicial Council and the Administrative Office of the Court.
Role of the Judicial Council
The Utah Judicial Council served as the policy-making body for the judiciary, possessing constitutional authority to adopt uniform rules for court administration throughout the state. The Council was responsible for setting standards regarding judicial performance, court facilities, support services, and staffing levels.
Composition of the Council
Comprised of fourteen members, the Council was chaired by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Membership included a Supreme Court Justice, a judge from the Court of Appeals, five District Court judges, two Juvenile Court judges, three Justice Court judges, a state bar representative, and the State Court Administrator, who acted as secretariat.
Function of Boards of Judges
To assist in administration, the Judicial Council established Boards of Judges for each court level. These boards adopted administrative rules following Council guidelines, advised the Council, supervised policy implementation, and acted as liaisons between judges and the Council.
Duties of court commissioners
Court commissioners operated as quasi-judicial officers with the authority to review paperwork, hold hearings, gather evidence, and conduct pretrial conferences. In Judicial Districts 1-4, these commissioners heard most matters involving domestic cases such as divorce, custody, and protective orders.
While commissioners could make recommendations and enter orders, their recommendations remained subject to modification by a judge. The conduct of judges was guided by the Code of Judicial Conduct and judicial ethics opinions, with the Judicial Conduct Commission tasked with investigating complaints against state, county, and municipal judges.
Administrative support for the system was provided by the Administrative Office of the Courts, which served as staff to the Judicial Council, various committees, and boards. This office supported Clerks of Court and Trial Court Executives across the state.
Under the Court Administrator Act, passed in 1973 and revised in 1986, a State Court Administrator was appointed to oversee public administration and court procedures. The administrator was assisted by a Deputy Administrator and management personnel covering areas such as Human Resources, Finance, and Information Technology.
