Utah Rules of Civil Procedure

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Utah Process Server Licensing Requirements:

The summons and complaint may be served in this state or any other state or territory of the United States, by the sheriff or constable, or by the deputy of either, by a United States Marshal or by the marshal’s deputy, or by any other person 18 years of age or older at the time of service, and not a party to the action or a party’s attorney.

Utah Rules of Civil Procedure Please note that lobbyists are active in the state of Utah and laws concerning civil procedure and process serving can change. Therefore the information listed below may have been amended. For updated process serving legislation, please visit the Utah State Legislature website.

RULE 4. Process

(a) Signing of summons.

The summons shall be signed and issued by the plaintiff or the plaintiff’s attorney. Separate summonses may be signed and served.

(b) Time of service.

In an action commenced under Rule 3(a)(1), the summons together with a copy of the complaint shall be served no later than 120 days after the filing of the complaint unless the court allows a longer period of time for good cause shown. If the summons and complaint are not timely served, the action shall be dismissed, without prejudice on application of any party or upon the court’s own initiative. In any action brought against two or more defendants on which service has been obtained upon one of them within the 120 days or such longer period as may be allowed by the court, the other or others may be served or appear at any time prior to trial.

(c) Contents of summons.

1. The summons shall contain the name of the court, the address of the court, the names of the parties to the action, and the county in which it is brought. It shall be directed to the defendant, state the name, address and telephone number of the plaintiff’s attorney, if any, and otherwise the plaintiff’s address and telephone number. It shall state the time within which the defendant is required to answer the complaint in writing, and shall notify the defendant that in case of failure to do so, judgment by default will be rendered against the defendant. It shall state either that the complaint is on file with the court or that the complaint will be filed with the court within ten days of service.
2. If the action is commenced under Rule 3(a)(2), the summons shall state that the defendant need not answer if the complaint is not filed within 10 days after service and shall state the telephone number of the clerk of the court where the defendant may call at least 13 days after service to determine if the complaint has been filed.
3. If service is made by publication, the summons shall briefly state the subject matter and the sum of money or other relief demanded, and that the complaint is on file.

(d) By whom served.

The summons and complaint may be served in this state or any other state or territory of the United States, by the sheriff or constable, or by the deputy of either, by a United States Marshal or by the marshal’s deputy, or by any other person 18 years of age or older at the time of service, and not a party to the action or a party’s attorney.

(e) Personal service.Personal service shall be made as follows:

1. Upon any individual other than one covered by subparagraphs (2), (3) or (4) below, by delivering a copy of the summons and/or the complaint to the individual personally, or by leaving a copy at the individual’s dwelling house or usual place of abode with some person of suitable age and discretion there residing, or by delivering a copy of the summons and/or the complaint to an agent authorized by appointment or by law to receive service of process.
2. Upon an infant (being a person under 14 years) by delivering a copy to the infant and also to the infant’s father, mother or guardian or, if none can be found within the state, then to any person having the care and control of the infant, or with whom the infant resides, or in whose service the infant is employed.
3. Upon a natural person judicially declared to be of unsound mind or incapable of conducting his own affairs, by delivering a copy to the person and to the person’s legal representative if one has been appointed and in the absence of such representative, to the individual, if any, who has care, custody or control of the person.
4. Upon an individual incarcerated or committed at a facility operated by the state or any of its political subdivisions, by delivering a copy to the person who has the care, custody, or control of the individual to be served, or to that person’s designee or to the guardian or conservator of the individual to be served if one has been appointed, who shall, in any case, promptly deliver the process to the individual served.
5. Upon any corporation, not herein otherwise provided for, upon a partnership or other unincorporated association which is subject to suit under a common name, by delivering a copy thereof to an officer, a managing or general agent, or other agent authorized by appointment or by law to receive service of process and, if the agent is one authorized by statute to receive service and the statute so requires, by also mailing a copy to the defendant. If no such officer or agent can be found within the state, and the defendant has, or advertises or holds itself out as having, an office or place of business within the state or elsewhere, or does business within this state or elsewhere, then upon the person in charge of such office or place of business.
6. Upon an incorporated city or town, by delivering a copy thereof to the recorder.
7. Upon a county, by delivering a copy to the county clerk of such county.
8. Upon a school district or board of education, by delivering a copy to the superintendent or business administrator of the board.
9. Upon an irrigation or drainage district, by delivering a copy to the president or secretary of its board.
10. Upon the state of Utah, in such cases as by law are authorized to be brought against the state, by delivering a copy to the attorney general and any other person or agency required by statute to be served.
11. Upon a department or agency of the state of Utah, or upon any public board, commission or body, subject to suit, by delivering a copy to any member of its governing board, or to its executive employee or secretary.

(f) Service and proof of service in a foreign country.Service in a foreign country shall be made as follows:

1. In the manner prescribed by the law of the foreign country for service in an action in any of its courts of general jurisdiction.
2. Upon an individual, by personal delivery; and upon a corporation, partnership or association, by delivering a copy to an officer or a managing general agent; provided that such service be made by a person who is not a party to the action, not a party’s attorney, and is not less than 18 years of age, or who is designated by order of the court or by the foreign court.
3. By any form of mail, requiring a signed receipt, to be addressed and dispatched by the clerk of the court to the party to be served as ordered by the court. Proof of service in a foreign country shall be made as prescribed in these rules for service within this state, or by the law of the foreign country, or by order of the court. When service is made pursuant to subpart (3) of this subdivision, proof of service shall include a receipt signed by the addressee or other evidence of delivery to the addressee satisfactory to the court.

(g) Other service.

Where the identity or whereabouts of the person to be served are unknown and cannot be ascertained through reasonable diligence, where service upon all of the individual parties is impracticable under the circumstances, or where there exists good cause to believe that the person to be served is avoiding service of process, the party seeking service of process may file a motion supported by affidavit requesting an order allowing service by publication, by mail, or by some other means. The supporting affidavit shall set forth the efforts made to identify, locate or serve the party to be served, or the circumstances which make it impracticable to serve all of the individual parties. If the motion is granted, the court shall order service of process by publication, by mail from the clerk of the court, by other means, or by some combination of the above, provided that the means of notice employed shall be reasonably calculated, under all the circumstances, to apprise the interested parties of the pendency of the action to the extent reasonably possible or practicable. The court’s order shall also specify the content of the process to be served and the event or events as of which service shall be deemed complete. A copy of the court’s order shall be served upon the defendant with the process specified by the court.

(h) Manner of proof.

In a case commenced under Rule 3(a)(1), the party serving the process shall file proof of service with the court promptly, and in any event within the time during which the person served must respond to the process, and proof of service must be made within ten days after such service. Failure to file proof of service does not affect the validity of the service. In all cases commenced under Rule 3(a)(1) or Rule 3(a)(2), the proof of service shall be made as follows:

1. If served by a sheriff, constable, United States Marshal, or the deputy of any of them, by certificate with a statement as to the date, place, and manner of service.
2. If served by any other person, by affidavit with a statement as to the date, place, and manner of service, together with the affiant’s age at the time of service.
3. If served by publication, by the affidavit of the publisher or printer or that person’s designated agent, showing publication, and specifying the date of the first and last publications; and an affidavit by the clerk of the court of a deposit of a copy of the summons and complaint in the United States mail, if such mailing shall be required under this rule or by court order.
4. If served by United States mail, by the affidavit of the clerk of the court showing a deposit of a copy of the summons and complaint in the United States mail, as may be ordered by the court, together with any proof of receipt.
5. By the written admission or waiver of service by the person to be served, duly acknowledged, or otherwise proved.

(i) Amendment.

At any time in its discretion and upon such terms as it deems just, the court may allow any process or proof of service thereof to be amended, unless it clearly appears that material prejudice would result to the substantial rights of the party against whom the process issued.

(j) Refusal of copy.

If the person to be served refuses to accept a copy of the process, service shall be sufficient if the person serving the same shall state the name of the process and offer to deliver a copy thereof.

(k) Date of service to be endorsed on copy.

At the time of service, the person making such service shall endorse upon the copy of the summons left for the person being served, the date upon which the same was served, and shall sign his or her name thereto, and, if an officer, add his or her official title.

(l) Designation of newspaper for publication of notice.

In any proceeding where summons or other notice is required to be published, the court shall, upon the request of the party applying for such publication, designate the newspaper and authorize and direct that such publication shall be made therein; provided, that the newspaper selected shall be a newspaper of general circulation in the county where such publication is required to be made and shall be published in the English language (Amended effective March 1, 1988; April 1, 1990; April 1, 1996).

RULE 45. SUBPOENA.

(a) Form; issuance.

1. Every subpoena shall:
   1. Issue from the court in which the action is pending.
   2. State the title of the action, the name of the court from which it is issued, the name and address of the party or attorney serving the subpoena, and its civil action number.
   3. Command each person to whom it is directed to appear to give testimony at trial, or at hearing, or at deposition, or to produce or to permit inspection and copying of documents or tangible things in the possession, custody or control of that person, or to permit inspection of premises, at a time and place therein specified.
2. Set forth the text of Notice to Persons Served with a Subpoena, in substantially similar form to Form 30 in the Appendix of Forms to these rules.
3. A command to produce or to permit inspection and copying of documents or tangible things, or to permit inspection of premises, may be joined with a command to appear at trial, or at hearing, or at deposition, or may be issued separately.
4. The clerk shall issue a subpoena, signed but otherwise in blank, to a party requesting it, who shall complete it before service. An attorney admitted to practice in the court in which the action is pending may also issue and sign a subpoena as an officer of the court.

(b) Service; scope.

1. Generally.
   1. A subpoena may be served by any person who is not a party and is not less than 18 years of age. Service of a subpoena upon a person named therein shall be made as provided in Rule 4(e) for the service of process and, if the person’s appearance is commanded, by tendering to that person the fees for one day’s attendance and the mileage allowed by law. When the subpoena is issued on behalf of the United States, or this state, or any officer or agency of either, fees and mileage need not be tendered. Prior notice of any commanded production or inspection of documents or tangible things or inspection of premises before trial shall be served on each party in the manner prescribed by Rule 5(b).
   2. Proof of service when necessary shall be made by filing with the clerk of the court from which the subpoena is issued a statement of the date and manner of service and of the names of the persons served, certified by the person who made the service.
   3. Service of a subpoena outside of this state, for the taking of a deposition or production or inspection of documents or tangible things or inspection of premises outside this state, shall be made in accordance with the requirements of the jurisdiction in which such service is made.
2. Subpoena for appearance at trial or hearing. A subpoena commanding a witness to appear at a trial or at a hearing pending in this state may be served at any place within the state.
3. Subpoena for taking deposition.
   1. A person who resides in this state may be required to appear at deposition only in the county where the person resides, or is employed, or transacts business in person, or at such other place as the court may order. A person who does not reside in this state may be required to appear at deposition only in the county in this state where the person is served with a subpoena, or at such other place as the court may order.
   2. A subpoena commanding the appearance of a witness at a deposition may also command the person to whom it is directed to produce or to permit inspection and copying of documents or tangible things relating to any of the matters within the scope of the examination permitted by Rule 26(b), but in that event the subpoena will be subject to the provisions of Rule 30(b) and paragraph© of this rule.
   3. Subpoena for production or inspection of documents or tangible things or inspection of premises. A subpoena to command a person who is not a party to produce or to permit inspection and copying of documents or tangible things or to permit inspection of premises may be served at any time after commencement of the action. The scope and procedure shall comply with Rule 34, except that the person must be allowed at least 14 days to comply as stated in subparagraph©(2)(A) of this rule. The party serving the subpoena shall pay the reasonable cost of producing or copying the documents or tangible things. Upon the request of any other party and the payment of reasonable costs, the party serving the subpoena shall provide to the requesting party copies of all documents obtained in response to the subpoena.

(c) Protection of persons subject to subpoenas.

1. A party or an attorney responsible for the issuance and service of a subpoena shall take reasonable steps to avoid imposing undue burden or expense on a person subject to that subpoena. The court from which the subpoena was issued shall enforce this duty and impose upon the party or attorney in breach of this duty an appropriate sanction, which may include, but is not limited to, lost earnings and a reasonable attorney’s fee.
2. (A) A subpoena served upon a person who is not a party to produce or to permit inspection and copying of documents or tangible things or to permit inspection of premises, whether or not joined with a command to appear at trial, or at hearing, or at deposition, must allow the person at least 14 days after service to comply, unless a shorter time has been ordered by the court for good cause shown.
   1. A person commanded to produce or to permit inspection and copying of documents or tangible things or to permit inspection of premises need not appear in person at the place of production or inspection unless also commanded to appear at trial, at hearing, or at deposition.
   2. A person commanded to produce or to permit inspection and copying of documents or tangible things or inspection of premises may, before the time specified for compliance with the subpoena, serve upon the party or attorney designated in the subpoena written objection to inspection or copying of any or all of the documents or tangible things or inspection of the premises. If objection is made, the party serving the subpoena shall not be entitled to inspect and copy the materials or inspect the premises except pursuant to an order of the court. If objection has been made, the party serving the subpoena may, upon notice to the person commanded to produce, move at any time for an order to compel the production. Such an order to compel production shall protect any person who is not a party or an officer of a party from significant expense resulting from the inspection and copying commanded. #On timely motion, the court from which a subpoena was issued shall quash or modify the subpoena if it:
   3. fails to allo0w reasonable time for compliance;
   4. requires a resident of this state who is not a party to appear at deposition in a county in which the resident does not reside, or is not employed, or does not transact business in person; or requires a non-resident of this state to appear at deposition in a county other than the county in which the person was served;
   5. requires disclosure of privileged or other protected matter and no exception or waiver applies;
   6. subjects a person to undue burden.
3. If a subpoena:
   1. Requires disclosure of a trade secret or other confidential research, development, or commercial information;
   2. requires disclosure of an unretained expert’s opinion or information not describing specific events or occurrences in dispute and resulting from the expert’s study made not at the request of any party;
   3. requires a resident of this state who is not a party to appear at deposition in a county in which the resident does not reside, or is not employed, or does not transact business in person; or
   4. requires a non-resident of this state who is not a party to appear at deposition in a county other than the county in which the person was served; the court may, to protect a person subject to or affected by the subpoena, quash or modify the subpoena or, if the party serving the subpoena shows a substantial need for the testimony or material that cannot otherwise be met without undue hardship and assures that the person to whom the subpoena is addressed will be reasonably compensated, the court may order appearance or production only upon specified conditions.

(d) Duties in responding to subpoena.

1. A person responding to a subpoena to produce documents shall produce them as they are kept in the usual course of business or shall organize and label them to correspond with the categories in the demand.
2. When information subject to a subpoena is withheld on a claim that it is privileged or subject to protection as trial preparation materials, the claim shall be made expressly and shall be supported by a description of the nature of the documents, communications, or things not produced that is sufficient to enable the demanding party to contest the claim.

(e) Contempt.

Failure by any person without adequate excuse to obey a subpoena served upon that person may be deemed a contempt of the court from which the subpoena issued. An adequate cause for failure to obey exists when a subpoena purports to require a nonparty to appear or produce at a place not within the limits provided by subparagraph©(3)(A)(ii).

(f) Procedure where witness conceals himself or fails to attend.

If a witness evades service of a subpoena, or fails to attend after service of a subpoena, the court may issue a warrant to the sheriff of the county to arrest the witness and bring the witness before the court.

(g) Procedure when witness is confined in jail.

If the witness is a prisoner confined in a jail or prison within the state, an order for examination in the prison upon deposition or, in the discretion of the court, for temporary removal and production before the court or officer for the purpose of being orally examined, may be made upon motion, with or without notice, by a justice of the Supreme Court, or by the district court of the county in which the action is pending.

(h) Subpoena unnecessary;

when. A person present in court, or before a judicial officer, may be required to testify in the same manner as if the person were in attendance upon a subpoena. (Amended effective January 1, 1995.)

You should contact a Utah Process Server if you have specific questions about Process Serving in Utah.