Utah Code Jud. Admin. 3-413

As amended through October 28, 2024

Rule 3-413 - Judicial Library Resources

Intent:

To establish minimum standards for legal reference materials to be provided to judicial and quasi-judicial officers and court employees.

To establish acquisition, distribution and budgetary responsibilities for the legal reference materials identified in this rule for the state law librarian.

To realize financial advantages through the use of high volume purchases of regularly used legal reference materials.

Applicability:

This rule shall apply to the state law library, all judges and commissioners of courts of record and not of record, and all court employees.

Statement of the Rule:

(1)State Law Library.

(A) The State Law Library shall be supervised and administered by the state law librarian under the general supervision of the state court administrator.

(B) The state law librarian shall facilitate the purchase of the electronic research resources and print publications authorized by this rule and arrange to have them distributed in accordance with this rule.

(2)Responsibility for providing judicial library resources.

(A)Electronic research resources.

(i) The state court administrator shall provide access to approved electronic research resources, including commercial legal databases.

(ii) All judges of courts of record, judges of courts not of record, court commissioners, and staff attorneys shall have access to these electronic research resources. Other employees may receive access to these resources based upon a demonstrated need and supervisor authorization.

(B) Print publications. Upon request, the state court administrator will provide each district and juvenile courtroom a print publication set of the Utah Code Unannotated, and one set of the Utah Court Rules Annotated, and each appellate judge a print publication set of the Utah Code Annotated, and one set of the Utah Court Rules Annotated.

(C)Publisher's complimentary copies The publisher of the Pacific Reporter currently provides complimentary volumes to appellate judges as of the date of the judge's appointment to the appellate court. The state law librarian shall coordinate the distribution of these materials with the judges and the publisher.

(D)Counties. Each county shall provide a current copy of either the Utah Code Annotated with annual updates or the softbound Utah Code Unannotated to each county justice court judge serving within that county. Each county operating a court of record under contract with the administrative office of the courts shall provide the judge with access to the local law library pursuant to Section 78A-5-111.

Municipalities. Each municipality shall provide a current copy of either the Utah Code Annotated with annual updates or the softbound Utah Code Unannotated to each municipal justice court judge serving within that municipality. Each municipality operating a court of record under contract with the administrative office of the courts shall provide the judge with access to the local law library pursuant to Section 78A-5-111.

(E) Repealed.

(F) Administrative office of the courts. The administrative office of the courts shall provide a Justice Court Manual, updated biannually, to each judge of a court not of record.

(3)Budget Procedures.

(A) The state law librarian shall separately account for:

(i) the operating budget for the state law library;

(ii) the costs associated with access to electronic research resources in subsection (2)(A); and

(iii) the costs associated with the purchase of print publications in subsection (2)(B).

(B) Funds appropriated or allocated for purchasing in accordance with subsections (2)(A) and (2)(B) shall not be used to supplement the appropriation to the state law library.

(C) The purchase of electronic research resources and print publications to fully implement the provisions of this rule shall be limited by the availability of funds.

(D) Any publication purchased with public funds shall be the property of the court and not the property of any official. Publications provided to an official without charge to the state shall be the personal property of the official.

Utah Code Jud. Admin. 3-413

Amended January 26, 2019, effective 5/1/2019; amended August 24, 2020, effective 8/21/2020.