Utah State Law Library

So Long, Blog

2013-03-14T15:00:38Z

Dear loyal blog readers:

We are retiring the Utah State Law Library blog after more than four years and 800+ posts. The blog has been a great way for library staff to share library news, new forms, court resources and other law-related resources. But with a noticeable decline in blog readers we will now exclusively use our Facebook page to share news and announcements. Please 'Like' us!

As always, you can contact library staff with questions about self help resources on the Utah State Courts' website or about library resources.

Thank you for reading, and we look forward to seeing you on Facebook!

SLC Infobase

2013-03-07T15:08:55Z

The Salt Lake City's website provides a wealth of resources for SLC residents, including information about the city justice court, city services like garbage pickup or snow removal, and city council news. If you're interested in some historic SLC government resources, be sure to visit the SLC Infobase.

This website has a variety of historic Salt Lake City government information, including city council meeting minutes (1982-Present), resolutions (2000-Present), and ordinances from 1900-Present.

More information about accessing Salt Lake City government records can be found on the Salt Lake City Recorder's Office website.

National Consumer Protection Week

2013-03-04T15:14:24Z

March 3-9, 2013 is National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW). Organizations from around the nation developed National Consumer Protection week to make people aware of their consumer rights and help them make better financial decisions. The NCPW website features a variety of helpful resources, such as ways to protect your health, investments, and your identity.

In Utah, the Division of Consumer Protection has many resources for individuals, including scam alerts and consumer information pages.

This Wednesday, March 6th, representatives from the FTC and USA.Gov will be hosting a nationwide Twitter chat for consumer questions at 2 pm. You can submit your question via Twitter using the hashtag #NCPW, through Facebook, or through the USA.Gov blog.

Why Judges Can't Speak Out

2013-03-01T16:22:12Z

The Utah State Courts' YouTube Channel has a new video posted: Why Judges Can't Speak Out. In this short video, Third District Court Judge Robin Reese discusses the Code of Judicial Conduct and explains why judges can't comment on a pending case or why they made a specific decision on a case if approached by the media.

To keep up with new videos, you can subscribe to the Courts' YouTube channel by logging in with your YouTube or Google ID and password.

Last Will and Embezzlement: Panel Discussion

2013-02-27T15:58:06Z

Last month we blogged about the free film screening of Last Will and Embezzlement at the Salt Lake City Public Library. If you missed the screening, you can still see the panel discussion that followed the film, which is available on the SLCtvmedia YouTube Channel. The panel discussion featured Mary Jane Ciccarello, Director of the Utah State Courts' Self Help Center, Nan Mendenhall, Director of Utah's Adult Protective Services division, and Sgt. Michelle Ross of the Salt Lake City Police Department. Panelists discussed how their agencies educate the public and work to prevent elder abuse in Utah.

If you want more information about the Court Visitor Volunteer Program, which organized the film screening, visit www.utcourts.gov/visitor or contact Karolina Abuzyarova at 801-578-3925.

Office of Property Rights Ombudsman's New Website

2013-02-25T23:15:29Z

The Utah Office of the Property Rights Ombudsman helps resolve property rights disputes and helps citizens understand land use and property rights laws. Their website has recently been redesigned. From the new home page you can find quick links to popular links, including:

laws about land use and eminent domain,
how to request mediation or arbitration from the office, and
advisory opinions, which are legal analyses of land use questions, prepared by attorneys, that explore how a question might be decided by a court.

Divorce Education Online Scams

2013-02-21T15:08:03Z

If you are involved in a Utah divorce case and you need to take your divorce education classes, be aware that there may be companies that advertise online divorce education classes. They may also promise to print a certificate of completion of divorce education classes. You should avoid these scams.

The only divorce education classes that satisfy the courts' Divorce Education Requirements are the classes developed by the Utah State Courts. The Courts' website lists dates and times for in-person classes throughout the state, fee details, and information on how to ask the court to waive the divorce education requirements.

New Utah Legislature App

2013-02-19T15:05:39Z

A new free app has been developed to help you track the Utah State Legislature's bills and resolutions that are proposed and passed during legislative sessions. It's called Watch Utah Legislature Bills, and it's compatible with both Apple and Android mobile devices.

With this app, you can search for and subscribe to bills and receive notifications when any status change has occurred, whether it passed a committee, was read, or received a vote.

You can download this app from iTunes or from Google Play.

Law Library Closed on President's Day

2013-02-15T15:58:44Z

The law library, and all Utah State Courts offices, will be closed on President's Day, Monday, February 18. Regular library hours (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) resume on February 19.

Utah city and county government offices are also closed on President's Day as well as many public libraries.

Guide to Buying Jewelry

2013-02-11T15:07:33Z

One of the most popular gifts to buy for Valentine's Day is jewelry. If you do plan to purchase jewelry for that special someone, check out the jewelry buying tips from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). This page includes important questions you should ask when you're at the store and what to watch for in online stores.

If you have a complaint about the jewelry you purchased, the FTC recommends trying to resolve it with the seller first. If you're not satisfied with the results, you can contact the FTC, the Better Business Bureau, the Attorney General's office, or the Jewelers Vigilance Committee, a non-profit organization supporting ethical practice in the jewelry business.

Utah OnLaw

2013-02-07T22:55:56Z

The University of Utah's S.J. Quinney School of Law has a new publication: Utah OnLaw, a online supplement to the Utah Law Review. You can access each article's abstract and full text for free. If you are interested in submitting an article for this publication, create an account and follow the author instructions.

See our Law Reviews Online post for more information on Utah law school publications that are available online.

2013 Annual Report to the Community

2013-02-05T15:07:08Z

The Utah State Courts' 2013 Annual Report to the Community is now available on the Courts' website. The report notes several court achievements, including:

Positive results from the 2012 Public Trust and Confidence Survey of Utah residents.
Successful public programs such as the Court Visitor Volunteer Program and the Self Help Center.
The implementation of e-warrants in child welfare proceedings.

Annual reports from 2002 to present can be found on the courts' website.

2013 State of the Judiciary

2013-01-30T16:25:41Z

On Monday, January 28, 2013, Utah Supreme Court Chief Justice Matthew B. Durrant delivered the 2013 State of the Judiciary Address. In it, Chief Justice Durrant discusses several court programs including eFiling and the Self Help Center. He also discussed the need to address an increasing caseload in the courts' 8th District.

You can watch a video of Chief Justice Durrant's State of the Judiciary address on the Utah State Courts' YouTube Channel. State of the Judiciary Addresses back to 1998 can be found on the Utah State Courts' Court Reports website.

Opening Day of the 2013 Legislative Session

2013-01-28T15:50:24Z

Today, January 28th, marks the opening day of the 2013 General Session of the Utah State Legislature. The 2013 session ends on March 14, 2013.

Since the legislature's website was redesigned, there are several ways to follow proceedings from the legislature's home page. There are prominent links directly to audio and video proceedings, to weekly calendars, and to the 2013 Session page, where you can find and track bills.

Judge for a Day

2013-01-24T15:10:53Z

Law Day is celebrated each May 1st to commemorate the rule of law in the United States.

The Utah State Courts will be celebrating Law Day 2013 with several events, including Judge for a Day for high school students. Selected students will have the opportunity to shadow a judge for a day. If you know a high school student who may be interested, encourage them to submit application materials. The deadline to submit applications is March 4th.