Utah Mock Trial Rules

Key Differences from Federal Rules of Evidence

• Utah Rule 702 requires a three-part foundation for expert testimony: the testimony is based on sufficient facts, is the product of reliable principles and methods, and the expert reliably applied those principles (codifying State v. Rimmasch)
• Utah Rule 404(b) requires the prosecution to give reasonable pretrial notice and demonstrate admissibility by a preponderance standard rather than the stricter clear-and-convincing standard used in some Western states
• Utah Rule 106 (rule of completeness) was expanded in 2020 to allow introduction of completing documents at any point during trial, not only upon cross-examination

Notable Rules

Key Features

• Utah adopted simplified civil discovery rules with tiered disclosure limits based on the amount in controversy (under $50K, $50K–$300K, over $300K)
• Utah's speedy trial guarantee in criminal cases is governed by constitutional provision (Utah Const. Art. I, § 12) with no fixed statutory deadline
• Justice Courts in Utah handle class B and C misdemeanors and small claims; they are courts not of record with bench trials by default

• Civil juries consist of 8 jurors; verdict requires agreement of at least 6 of 8
• Criminal felony juries consist of 12 jurors with unanimous verdicts required
• Misdemeanor juries consist of 4 jurors under Utah Code § 78B-1-104; unanimous verdict required