Series 26613

District Court (Third District : Summit County) Civil case files

Dates: 1896-

34.00 cubic feet

These records are housed in the Utah State Archives' permanent storage room.

Scope and Content

These case files from the Third District Court in Summit County document the legal process and the administration of justice in conjunction with a civil proceeding for the determination of a controversy between parties wherein rights are enforced or protected, or wrongs are prevented or redressed. Included are all cases which cannot legally be called "criminal cases." Records and documents pertaining to a particular action are filed together by the court clerk, who is required by the Rules of Civil Procedure to file pleadings and other legal papers. Collectively they constitute the case file.

A civil action commences with the filing of a complaint with the court or by service to the defendant of a summons together with a copy of the complaint. A unique case number is assigned by the court when the papers are filed with the clerk. The case file for a particular action includes the original complaint or summons together with all legal papers subsequently filed in connection with the court proceeding through disposition or dismissal. Included are such documents as: depositions (or written testimony), demurrers (which are pleas for the dismissal of a lawsuit on the grounds that even if the statements of the opposition are true, they do not sustain the claim), interrogatories (a pretrial discovery tool in which written questions are propounded by one party and served to the adversary, who must answer by written replies made under oath), answers, counter claims, replies, motions, petitions, affidavits (written statements made under oath before an officer of the court, notary public, or other authorized person), stipulations (an agreement between attorneys that concerns business before a court and is designed to simplify, shorten, or settle litigation and save costs), exhibit documents (written contracts, bills, receipts, etc.), notices, objections, citations, sheriff's certificates, judge's orders and rulings, judge's instructions to the jury, judge's findings of fact and conclusions of law, final decrees, judgments, and executions (the process of carrying into effect a court's judgment, decree, or order).

Demurrers, pleas, and exceptions for insufficiency were abolished in 1953. Transcripts (an official and certified copy of what transpired in court or at an out-of-court deposition) and exhibits (items of real evidence) are not included in the case files.

Petitions for divorce are the predominant type of action in the civil case files. Suits to recover money are also common. These actions arise out of failure to honor promissory notes or other contract terms and non- payment of rent, lease payments, and court-ordered judgments. Attempts by plaintiffs to recover medical costs and lost income arising out of personal injury cases resulting from alleged carelessness or neglect appear frequently. These include traffic mishaps or accidents involving neighbors, employees, or business customers. Property cases include disputed ownership, damage, and contested improvements.

Legal actions include voluntary withdrawal or dissolution of corporations as well as petitions for a writ of habeas corpus (a court order requiring that a prisoner be brought before a judge to decide the legality of his detention or imprisonment). Court business (grand jury lists and reports, orders summoning persons to serve as jurors, various writs, etc.) have also been assigned civil case numbers.

According to statute, the district court has jurisdiction in all civil matters not excepted by the state constitution and not prohibited by law. During each calendar year the court is required to hold at least three terms at the county seat of each county within the district. The county clerk in each county serves as ex- officio clerk to the court and is responsible for maintaining the case files for actions arising in that county.

Responsibility for cases involving minimal monetary claims was reassigned to the newly created small claims departments of inferior courts in 1933. When inferior courts have original jurisdiction, the district court is limited to hearing appeals. Included are violations of city and town ordinances, as well as minor traffic laws, where a City Court or Justice of the Peace Court is established. Upon receipt of an appeal, the district court conducts a complete retrial of the case.

Arrangement

Numerical by case number.

Related Records

Civil registers of action from the District Court (Third District : Summit County), Series 26614, record the date any action was taken on a case.

Civil action index from the District Court (Third District : Summit County), Series 26615, contains index books that can be used to obtain the case file numbers needed to access this series.

Judgment record books from the District Court (Fourth District : Summit County), Series 27425, contains the entire case file cited in these books.

Judgment dockets from the District Court (Third District : Summit County), Series 27434, contains the entire case file relating to the judgments issued in these docket books.

Custody History

Case files were removed from the court office in Coalville and transferred to the Utah State Archives in October, 2007.

Access Restrictions

This series is classified as Public.

Preferred Citation

Cite the Utah State Archives and Records Service, the creating agency name, the series title, and the series number.

Processing Note

This series was archivally processed by Jim Kichas in April 2010.

Indexing Terms

Container List

BOX	DATE	DESCRIPTION
1	1896-1903	1-80
2	1896-1903	81-165
3	1896-1903	166-254
4	1896-1903	255-330
5	1896-1903	331-415
6	1896-1903	416-500
7	1903-1915	501-629
8	1903-1915	630-755
9	1903-1915	756-879
10	1903-1915	880-985
11	1903-1915	986-1090
12	1903-1915	1091-1205
13	1915-1929	1206-1315
14	1915-1929	1316-1405
15	1915-1929	1406-1500
16	1915-1929	1501-1574
17	1915-1929	1575-1665
18	1915-1929	1666-1734
19	1930-1940	1735-1809
20	1930-1940	1810-1915
21	1930-1940	1916-1975
22	1930-1940	1976-2049
23	1930-1940	2050-2125
24	1930-1940	2126-2200
25	1930-1940	2201-2284
26	1930-1940	2285-2345
27	1940-1955	2346-2433
28	1940-1955	2434-2490
29	1940-1955	2491-2565
30	1940-1955	2566-2638
31	1940-1955	2639-2715
32	1940-1955	2716-2804
33	1940-1955	2805-2885
34	1940-1955	2886-2975