UTAH RULES OF CIVIL PROCEDURE

This article will provide guidance on Utah Rules of Civil Procedure. Disclaimer: Due to the law’s rapidly changing nature, there will be times when the material on this site will not be current. It is provided for general information and is not intended as legal advice. It should not be considered comprehensive or exhaustive and is not a substitute for advice from your attorney. We make no express or implied warranty as to the material’s accuracy, reliability, completeness, timeliness, or appropriateness for a particular purpose, including applicability to your jurisdiction or circumstances. We assume no liability for any direct, indirect, or consequential damages resulting from your reliance on this material; you do so at your own risk.  Seek the advice of an attorney. Comments, corrections, or suggestions should be directed to info@undisputedlegal.com.  The information listed below may have been amended. For updated process serving legislation, please visit the Utah State Legislature. Web site.

Utah Process Service Licensing Requirements:

The summons and complaint may be served in this state or any other state or territory of the United States, by the sheriff or constable, or by the deputy of either, by a United States Marshal or by the marshal’s deputy, or by any other person 18 years of age or older at the time of service, and not a party to the action or a party’s attorney.

Utah Rules of Civil Procedure Rule 4. Process.

(a) Signing of summons. The summons shall be signed and issued by the plaintiff or attorney. Separate summonses may be signed and served.

(b) Time of service. In action commenced under Utah Rules of Civil Procedure 3(a)(1), the summons together with a copy of the complaint shall be served no later than 120 days after filing the complaint unless the court allows a longer period for a good cause shown. If the summons and complaints are not timely served, the action shall be dismissed without prejudice on any party’s application or the court’s initiative. In any action brought against two or more defendants on which service has been obtained upon one of them within the 120 days or such longer period as may be allowed by the court, the other or others may be served or appear at any time before trial.

(c) Contents of summons.

(1) The summons shall contain the court’s name, the address of the court, the names of the parties to the action, and the county in which it is brought. It shall be directed to the defendant, state the name, address, and telephone number of the plaintiff’s attorney, if any, and otherwise the plaintiff’s address and telephone number. It shall state the time the defendant is required to answer the complaint in writing and notify the defendant that judgment by default will be rendered against the defendant in case of failure. It shall state either that the complaint is on file with the court or that the complaint will be filed with the court within ten days of service.

(2) If the action is commenced under Utah Rules of Civil Procedure 3(a)(2), the summons shall state that the defendant need not answer if the complaint is not filed within ten days after service and shall state the telephone number of the clerk of the court where the defendant may call at least 13 days after service to determine if the complaint has been filed.

(3) If service is made by publication, the summons shall briefly state the subject matter and the sum of money or other relief demanded and that the complaint is on file.

(d) By whom served. The summons and complaint may be served in this state or any other state or territory of the United States, by the sheriff or constable, or by the deputy of either, by a United States Marshal or by the marshal’s deputy, or by any other person 18 years of age or older at the time of service, and not a party to the action or a party’s attorney.

(e) Personal service. Personal service shall be made as follows:

(1) Upon any individual other than one covered by subparagraphs (2), (3), or (4) below, by delivering a copy of the summons and the complaint to the individual personally or by leaving a copy at the individual’s dwelling house or usual place of abode with some person of suitable age and discretion there residing, or by delivering a copy of the summons and the complaint to an agent authorized by appointment or by law to receive service of process;

(2) Upon an infant (being a person under 14 years) by delivering a copy to the infant and also to the infant’s father, mother, or guardian or, if none can be found within the state, then to any person having the care and control of the infant, or with whom the infant resides, or in whose service the infant is employed;

(3) Upon a natural person judicially declared to be of unsound mind or incapable of conducting his affairs, by delivering a copy to the person and the person’s legal representative if one has been appointed and in the absence of such representative, to the individual, if any, who has care, custody or control of the person;

(4) Upon an individual incarcerated or committed at a facility operated by the state or any of its political subdivisions, by delivering a copy to the person who has the care, custody, or control of the individual to be served or to that person’s designee or to the guardian or conservator of the individual to be served if one has been appointed, who shall, in any case, promptly deliver the process to the individual served;

(5) Upon any corporation, not herein otherwise provided for, upon a partnership or other unincorporated association which is subject to suit under a common name, by delivering a copy thereof to an officer, a managing or general agent, or other agent authorized by appointment or by law to receive service of process and, if the agent is one authorized by statute to receive service and the statute so requires, by also mailing a copy to the defendant. If no such officer or agent can be found within the state, and the defendant has or advertises or holds itself out as having, an office or place of business within the state or elsewhere or does business within this state or elsewhere, then upon the person in charge of such office or place of business;

(6) Upon an incorporated city or town, by delivering a copy thereof to the recorder;

(7) Upon a county, by delivering a copy to the county clerk of such county;

(8) Upon a school district or board of education, by delivering a copy to the superintendent or business administrator of the board;

(9) Upon an irrigation or drainage district, by delivering a copy to the president or secretary of its board;

(10) Upon the state of Utah, in such cases as by law are authorized to be brought against the state, by delivering a copy to the attorney general and any other person or agency required by statute to be served; and

(11) Upon a department or agency of the state of Utah, or any public board, commission, or body, subject to suit, by delivering a copy to any member of its governing board or its executive employee or secretary.

(f) Service and proof of service in a foreign country. Service in a foreign country shall be made as follows:

(1) In the manner prescribed by the law of the foreign country for service in action in any of its courts of general jurisdiction; or

(2) Upon an individual, by personal delivery; and upon a corporation, partnership, or association, by delivering a copy to an officer or a managing general agent; provided that such service be made by a person who is not a party to the action, not a party’s attorney, and is not less than 18 years of age, or who is designated by order of the court or by the foreign court; or

(3) By any mail requiring a signed receipt to be addressed and dispatched by the court’s clerk to the party to be served as ordered by the court. Proof of service in a foreign country shall be made as prescribed in these Utah Rules of Civil Procedure for service within this state, by the foreign country’s law, or by order of the court. When service is made under subpart (3) of this subdivision, proof of service shall include a receipt signed by the addressee or other delivery evidence to the addressee satisfactory to the court.

(g) another service. Where the identity or whereabouts of the person to be served is unknown and cannot be ascertained through reasonable diligence, where service upon all of the individual parties is impracticable under the circumstances, or where there exists good cause to believe that the person to be served is avoiding service of process, the party seeking service of process may file a motion supported by affidavit requesting an order allowing service by publication, by mail, or by some other means. The supporting affidavit shall set forth the efforts made to identify, locate, or serve the party to be served or the circumstances that make it impracticable to serve all individual parties. If the motion is granted, the court shall order service of process by publication, by mail from the clerk of the court, by other means, or by some combination of the above, provided that the means of notice employed shall be reasonably calculated, under all the circumstances, to apprise the interested parties of the pendency of the action to the extent reasonably possible or practicable. The court’s order shall also specify the process’s content to be served and the event or events as of which service shall be deemed complete. A copy of the court’s order shall be served upon the defendant with the process specified by the court.

(h) Manner of proof. In a case commenced under Utah Rules of Civil Procedure 3(a)(1), the party serving the process shall file proof of service with the court promptly, and in any event, within the time during which the person served must respond to the process. Proof of service must be made within ten days after such service. Failure to file proof of service does not affect the validity of the service. In all cases commenced under Utah Rules of Civil Procedure 3(a)(1) or Rule 3(a)(2), the proof of service shall be made as follows:

(1) If served by a sheriff, constable, United States Marshal, or the deputy of any of them, by a certificate with a statement as to the date, place, and manner of service;

(2) If served by any other person, by affidavit with a statement as to the date, place, and manner of service, together with the affiant’s age at the time of service;

(3) If served by publication, by the affidavit of the publisher or printer or that person’s designated agent, showing publication and specifying the date of the first and last publications; and an affidavit by the clerk of the court of a deposit of a copy of the summons and complaint in the United States mail, if such mailing shall be required under this Utah Rules of Civil Procedure or by court order;

(4) If served by United States mail, by the affidavit of the clerk of the court showing a deposit of a copy of the summons and complaint in the United States mail, as may be ordered by the court, together with any proof of receipt;

(5) By the written admission or waiver of service by the person to be served, duly acknowledged, or otherwise proved.

(i) Amendment. At any time in its discretion and upon such terms as it deems, the court may allow any process or proof of service thereof to be amended unless it appears that material prejudice would result in the party’s substantial rights against whom the process was issued.

(j) Refusal of a copy. If the person to be served refuses to accept a copy of the process, service shall be sufficient if the person serving the same shall state the process’s name and offer to deliver a copy thereof.

(k) Date of service to be endorsed on a copy. At the time of service, the person doing such service shall endorse upon the copy of the summons left for the person being served, the date upon which the same was served, and shall sign his or her name thereto, and, if an officer, add his or her official title.

(l) Designation of newspaper for publication of the notice. In any proceeding where summons or other notice is required to be published, the court shall, upon the request of the party applying for such publication, designate the newspaper and authorize and direct that such publication shall be made therein; provided that the newspaper selected shall be a newspaper of general circulation in the county where such publication is required to be made and shall be published in the English language.
(Amended effective March 1, 1988; April 1, 1990; April 1, 1996.)

Utah Rules of Civil Procedure Rule 45. Subpoena.

(a) Form; issuance.

(1) Every subpoena shall:

(A) issue from the court in which the action is pending;

(B) state the title of the action, the name of the court from which it is issued, the name and address of the party or attorney serving the subpoena, and its civil action number;

(C) command each person to whom it is directed to appear to give testimony at trial, or a hearing, or at deposition, or to produce or to permit inspection and copying of documents or tangible things in the possession, custody, or control of that person, or to permit inspection of premises, at a time and place therein specified; and

(D) set forth the text of Notice to Persons Served with a Subpoena in substantially similar form to Form 30 in the Appendix of Forms to these Utah Rules of Civil Procedure.

(2) A command to produce or to permit inspection and copying of documents or tangible things, or to permit inspection of premises, may be joined with a command to appear at trial, or a hearing, or at deposition, or may be issued separately.

(3) The clerk shall issue a subpoena, signed but otherwise in blank, to a party requesting it, who shall complete it before service. An attorney admitted to practice in the court where the action is pending may also issue and sign a subpoena as an officer of the court.

(b) Service; scope.

(1) Generally.

(A) A subpoena may be served by any person who is not a party and is not less than 18 years of age. Service of a subpoena upon a person named therein shall be made as provided in Rule 4(e) for the service of process if the person’s appearance is commanded by tendering to that person the fees for one day’s attendance and the mileage allowed by law. When the subpoena is issued on behalf of the United States, this state, or any officer or agency of either, fees and mileage need not be tendered. Prior notice of any commanded production or inspection of documents or tangible things or inspection of premises before trial shall be served on each party in the manner prescribed by Utah Rules of Civil Procedure Rule 5(b).

(B) Proof of service, when necessary, shall be made by filing with the clerk of the court from which the subpoena is issued a statement of the date and manner of service and of the names of the persons served, certified by the person who did the service.

(C) Service of a subpoena outside of this state, for the taking of a deposition or production or inspection of documents or tangible things or inspection of premises outside this state, shall be made by the requirements of the jurisdiction in which such service is made.

(2) Subpoena for an appearance at trial or hearing. A subpoena commanding a witness to appear at a trial or a hearing pending in this state may be served at any place within the state.

(3) Subpoena for taking the deposition.

(A) A person who resides in this state may be required to appear at deposition only in the county where the person resides, is employed, transacts business in person, or at such another place as the court may order. A person who does not reside in this state may be required to appear at deposition only in the county in this state where the person is served with a subpoena or at such other place as the court may order.

(B) A subpoena commanding the appearance of a witness at a deposition may also command the person to whom it is directed to produce or to permit inspection and copying of documents or tangible things relating to any of the matters within the scope of the examination permitted by Rule 26(b). Still, in that event, the subpoena will be subject to Utah Rules of Civil Procedure 30(b) and paragraph (c) of this rule.

(4) Subpoena for production or inspection of documents or tangible things or inspection of premises. A subpoena to command a person who is not a party to produce or to permit inspection and copying of documents or tangible things or to permit inspection of premises may be served at any time after commencement of the action. The scope and procedure shall comply with Rule 34, except that the person must be allowed at least 14 days to comply as stated in subparagraph (c)(2)(A) of this rule. The party serving the subpoena shall pay the reasonable cost of producing or copying the documents or tangible things. Upon the request of any other party and the payment of reasonable costs, the party serving the subpoena shall provide the requesting party copies of all documents obtained in response to the subpoena.

(c) Protection of persons subject to subpoenas.

(1) A party or an attorney responsible for the issuance and service of a subpoena shall take reasonable steps to avoid imposing undue burden or expense on a person subject to that subpoena. The court from which the subpoena was issued shall enforce this duty and impose upon the party or attorney in breach of this duty an appropriate sanction, which may include, but is not limited to, lost earnings and a reasonable attorney’s fee.

(2)(A) A subpoena served upon a person who is not a party to produce or to permit inspection and copying of documents or tangible things or to permit inspection of premises, whether or not joined with a command to appear at trial, or a hearing, or at deposition, must allow the person at least 14 days after service to comply unless the court has ordered a shorter time for a good cause shown.

(B) A person commanded to produce or to permit inspection and copying of documents or tangible things or to permit inspection of premises need not appear in person at the place of production or inspection unless also commanded to appear at trial, at the hearing, or deposition.

(C) A person commanded to produce or to permit inspection and copying of documents or tangible things or inspection of premises may, before the time specified for compliance with the subpoena, serve upon the party or attorney designated in the subpoena written objection to inspection or copying of any or all of the documents or tangible things or inspection of the premises. If an objection is made, the party serving the subpoena shall not be entitled to inspect and copy the materials or inspect the premises except under the court’s order. If objection has been made, the party serving the subpoena may, upon notice to the person commanded to produce, move at any time for an order to compel the production. Such an order to compel production shall protect any person who is not a party or an officer of a party from significant expense resulting from the inspection and copying commanded.

(3)(A) On timely motion, the court from which a subpoena was issued shall quash or modify the subpoena if it:

(i) fails to allow a reasonable time for compliance;

(ii) requires a resident of this state who is not a party to appear at a deposition in a county in which the resident does not reside, or is not employed, or does not transact business in person, or requires a non-resident of this state to appear at a deposition in a county other than the county in which the person was served;

(iii) requires disclosure of privileged or other protected matter and no exception or waiver applies;

(iv) subjects a person to undue burden.

(B) If a subpoena:

(i) requires disclosure of a trade secret or other confidential research, development, or commercial information;

(ii) requires disclosure of an unretained expert’s opinion or information not describing specific events or occurrences in dispute and resulting from the expert’s study made not at the request of any party;

(iii) requires a resident of this state who is not a party to appear at a deposition in a county in which the resident does not reside, or is not employed, or does not transact business in person; or

(iv) requires a non-resident of this state who is not a party to appear at a deposition in a county other than the county in which the person was served; the court may, to protect a person subject to or affected by the subpoena, quash or modify the subpoena or, if the party serving the subpoena shows a substantial need for the testimony or material that cannot otherwise be met without undue hardship and assures that the person to whom the subpoena is addressed will be reasonably compensated, the court may order appearance or production only upon specified conditions.

(d) Duties in responding to subpoena.

(1) A person responding to a subpoena to produce documents shall produce them as they are kept in the usual business course or organize and label them to correspond with the categories in demand.

(2) When information subject to a subpoena is withheld on a claim that it is privileged or subject to protection as trial preparation materials, the claim shall be made expressly. It shall be supported by a description of the nature of the documents, communications, or things not produced sufficient to enable the demanding party to contest the claim.

(e) Contempt. Failure by any person without adequate excuse to obey a subpoena served upon that person may be deemed a contempt of the court from which the subpoena was issued. An adequate cause for failure to obey exists when a subpoena purports to require a nonparty to appear or produce at a place, not within limits provided by subparagraph (c)(3)(A)(ii).

(f) Procedure where the witness conceals himself or fails to attend. If a witness evades a subpoena service or fails to attend after service of a subpoena, the court may issue a warrant to the county’s sheriff to arrest the witness and bring the witness before the court.

(g) Procedure when the witness is confined in jail. Suppose the witness is a prisoner confined in a jail or prison within the state. In that case, an order for examination in the prison upon deposition or, at the discretion of the court, for temporary removal and production before the court or officer to be orally examined may be made upon motion, with or without notice, by a justice of the Supreme Court, or by the district court of the county in which the action is pending.

(h) (h) Subpoena unnecessary; when. A person present in court or before a judicial officer may be required to testify in the same manner as if they were in attendance upon a subpoena.
(Amended effective January 1, 1995.)

OUR PROCESS

Documents can be faxed at (800) 296-0115, emailed ps@undisputedlegal.com, or uploaded to our website. We do require prepayment and accept all major credit and debit cards. Once payment is processed, your sales receipt is immediately emailed for your records.

Drop-offs must call and make an appointment first to be added to building security to permit access to our office. Documents for service must be in a sealed envelope with payment in the form of a money order or attorney check (WE DO NOT ACCEPT CASH) payable to UNDISPUTED LEGAL INC. All documents will be received by our receptionist.

DOMESTIC COVERAGE AREAS:

Alaska | Alabama | Arkansas | Arizona | California | Colorado | Connecticut | District of Columbia | Delaware | Florida| Georgia | Hawaii | Iowa | Idaho | Illinois | Indiana | Kansas | Kentucky | Louisiana | Maryland | Massachusetts | Maine | Michigan | Minnesota | Mississippi | Missouri | Montana | North Carolina | North Dakota| Nebraska | New Hampshire | New Jersey | New Mexico | Nevada | New York | Ohio | Oklahoma | Oregon | Pennsylvania | Rhode Island | South Carolina | South Dakota | Tennessee | Texas | Utah | Virginia | Vermont | Washington | West Virginia | Wisconsin | Wyoming

INTERNATIONAL COVERAGE AREAS:

Albania | Andorra | Anguilla | Antigua | Argentina | Armenia | Australia | Austria | Azerbaijan | Bahamas | Barbados | Belarus | Belgium | Belize | Bermuda | Bosnia and Herzegovina | Botswana | Brazil | British Honduras| British Virgin Islands | Bulgaria | Canada | Cayman Islands | Central and Southern Line Islands | Chile|China (Macao) | China People’s Republic | Colombia | Costa Rica | Country of Georgia | Croatia | Cyprus | Czech Republic| Denmark | Dominican Republic | Ecuador | Egypt | Estonia | Falkland Islands and Dependences | Fiji | Finland | France | Germany| Gibraltar | Gilbert and Ellice Islands | Greece | Guernsey | Hong Kong | Hungary | Iceland | India | Ireland | Isle of Man | Israel | Italy | Jamaica | Japan | Jersey Channel Islands | Jordan | Kazakhstan | Korea| Kuwait | Latvia | Lithuania | Luxembourg | Malawi | Malaysia | Malta | Mauritius | Mexico| MonacoMontenegro | Montserrat | Morocco | Namibia | Netherlands | New Zealand |Nicaragua | Norway | Pakistan | Panama | Paraguay | Peru | Philippines | Pitcairn |Poland | Portugal | Republic of Moldova | Republic of North Macedonia | Romania |Russian Federation | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | San Marino | Saudi Arabia | Serbia| Seychelles | Singapore| Slovakia | Slovenia | South Africa | Spain | Sri Lanka | St. Helena and Dependencies | St. Lucia | Sweden | Switzerland | Taiwan | Thailand | Tunisia | Turkey | Turks and Caicos Islands| UkraineUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland| Uruguay | US Virgin Islands | Uzbekistan | Venezuela | Vietnam

OFFICE LOCATIONS

New York: (212) 203-8001 – 590 Madison Avenue, 21st Floor, New York, New York 10022
Brooklyn: (347) 983-5436 – 300 Cadman Plaza West, 12th Floor, Brooklyn, New York 11201
Queens: (646) 357-3005 – 118-35 Queens Blvd, Suite 400, Forest Hills, New York 11375
Long Island: (516) 208-4577 – 626 RXR Plaza, 6th Floor, Uniondale, New York 11556
Westchester: (914) 414-0877 – 50 Main Street, 10th Floor, White Plains, New York 10606
Connecticut: (203) 489-2940 – 500 West Putnam Avenue, Suite 400, Greenwich, Connecticut 06830
New Jersey: (201) 630-0114 – 101 Hudson Street, 21 Floor, Jersey City, New Jersey 07302
Washington DC: (202) 655-4450 – 2200 Pennsylvania Avenue, 4 Fl East, Washington DC 20037

for assistance serving legal papers in utah

Simply pick up the phone and call Toll-Free (800) 774-6922 or click the service you want to purchase. Our dedicated team of professionals is ready to assist you. We can handle all your process service needs; no job is too small or too large!  For instructions on How To Serve Legal Papers in Utah, Click Here!

Contact us for more information about our process serving agency. We are ready to provide service of process to all our clients globally from our offices in New York, Brooklyn, Queens, Long Island, Westchester, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Washington D.C.

“Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction, and skillful execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives.”– Foster, William A

BLOG DISCLAIMER

The information contained herein has been prepared in compliance with Section 107 of the Copyright Act. Fair use is a legal doctrine that promotes freedom of expression by permitting the unlicensed use of copyright-protected works. The articles/Images contained herein serve as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, educational, and research-as examples of activities that qualify as fair use. Undisputed Legal Inc. is a Process Service Agency and “Not A Law Firm” therefore the articles/images contained herein are for educational purposes only, and not intended as legal advice.