UtahUtah courts may centralize debt and housing cases in divisions
Utah law lets the Judicial Council establish district court divisions; if it does, courts route covered debt and housing cases there, while commissions list more applicants for multiple vacancies.
What it does
The Judicial Council may establish district court divisions for different kinds of cases, including debt collection and housing cases. If it does, it must provide resources from legislative appropriations.
District courts must route covered debt collection and housing cases to the division for handling before and after judgment. The division may move some cases for trial or certain hearings.
When filling multiple vacancies in the same court at once, nominating commissions must list extra applicants for the governor: five per added appellate vacancy and one per added vacancy in other courts.
Argument forA dedicated division could help courts handle debt and housing cases in one place while allowing trials and certain hearings in a proper venue.
Argument againstCentralized handling could mean some people travel to a different court location for trials or certain hearings.
More detail
The Judicial Council may establish district court divisions to manage different kinds of cases, including debt collection and housing cases. These provisions concern Utah district courts. If the Council establishes a division, it must provide enough resources from legislative appropriations, which may include commissioners or judicial assistants. Divisions may not change the court's authority or the validity of its orders, or block public access to the courts. These provisions take effect January 1, 2027.
District courts must transfer covered debt collection and housing cases to the division established under this section for centralized handling before and after judgment. A housing case includes a forcible entry and detainer case. A debt collection case must be eligible to be filed as such on or after January 1, 2027. The division may transfer a case to a venue the district court finds proper if the case is set for trial or needs an evidentiary hearing other than one for forcible entry and detainer. These provisions take effect January 1, 2027. The debt collection definition covers cases eligible to be filed on or after that date.
Nominating commissions must include additional applicants on their lists to the governor when considering multiple vacancies in the same court at the same time. The rule applies to vacancies that exist at the same time in the same court. For each additional appellate court vacancy, the Appellate Court Nominating Commission must add five applicants. For each additional vacancy in another court, the commission must add one. The appellate nomination provisions take effect upon the governor's approval. The bill's general effective date for other provisions is May 6, 2026, unless the required two-thirds vote in each house makes them effective earlier under the listed triggers.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Mar 24Governor Spencer Cox SignedBecame Law
- Mar 11Senate/ to GovernorTo Governor
- Mar 11Senate/ received enrolled bill from PrintingMinor
- Mar 7Senate/ enrolled bill to Printing
- Mar 7Enrolled Bill Returned to House or SenateMinor
- Mar 6Draft of Enrolled Bill Prepared
- Mar 6Bill Received from Senate for EnrollingMinor
- Mar 6Senate/ signed by President/ sent for enrollingMajor
- Mar 6Senate/ received from HouseMinor
- Mar 5House/ to Senate
- Vote recorded Senate/ concurs with House amendment. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 5House/ signed by Speaker/ returned to SenateMajor
- Mar 5House/ received from SenateMinor
- Mar 5Senate/ to House
- Mar 5Senate/ concurs with House amendmentMajor
- Mar 5Senate/ placed on Concurrence Calendar
- Mar 5Senate/ received from HouseMinor
- Mar 4House/ to Senate
- Vote recorded House/ passed 3rd reading. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 4House/ passed 3rd readingPassed House
- Mar 4House/ substituted
- Mar 4House/ uncircled
- Mar 4LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for SB0270S02
- Mar 4LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for SB0270S02
- Mar 4LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for SB0270S02
- Mar 4LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for SB0270S02
- Mar 4House/ circled
- Mar 4House/ 3rd readingMinor
- Mar 4House/ 2nd readingMinor
- Mar 4House/ Rules to 3rd Reading Calendar
- Mar 2House/ return to Rules due to fiscal impact [House Rules Committee]
- Mar 2House/ committee report favorable [House Judiciary Committee]Minor
- Mar 2LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for SB0270S01
- Mar 2LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for SB0270S01
- Mar 2House Comm - Favorable Recommendation [House Judiciary Committee]Minor
- Feb 27House/ to standing committee [House Judiciary Committee]Minor
- Vote recorded Senate/ passed 3rd reading. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 27House/ 1st reading (Introduced)Minor
- Feb 27House/ received from SenateMinor
- Feb 27Senate/ to House
- Feb 27Senate/ passed 3rd readingPassed Senate
- Feb 27Senate/ substituted
- Feb 27Senate/ uncircled
- Feb 26LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for SB0270S01
- Feb 26LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for SB0270S01
- Feb 25Senate/ circled
- Feb 25Senate/ 3rd readingMinor
- Feb 24Senate/ passed 2nd readingMinor
- Vote recorded Senate/ passed 2nd reading. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 24Senate/ 2nd readingMinor
- Feb 17Senate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar
- Feb 17Senate/ committee report favorable [Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice Committee]Minor
- Feb 12Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation [Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice Committee]Minor
- Feb 9Senate/ to standing committee [Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice Committee]Minor
- Feb 6Senate/ 1st reading (Introduced)Minor
- Feb 6Senate/ received bill from Legislative ResearchMinor
- Feb 6LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for SB0270
- Feb 6LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for SB0270
- Feb 6Numbered Bill Publicly Distributed
- Feb 6Bill Numbered but not DistributedIntroduced
Government & EthicsCriminal Justice