United States District Court for the District of Utah
About This Court
The United States District Court for the District of Utah is the federal trial court with jurisdiction over the entire state of Utah, operating within the Tenth Circuit. The court handles civil and criminal matters arising under federal law, including cases involving federal statutes, constitutional questions, and disputes between parties of diverse citizenship meeting the jurisdictional threshold.
Utah is a single-district state, meaning the court's jurisdiction spans all 29 counties, from the urban Wasatch Front to rural and reservation lands in the south and east. The court has divisions in Salt Lake City and St. George to serve different regions of the state.
The District of Utah has seen significant growth in its docket in recent decades, reflecting Utah's expanding population and economy. Cases involving public lands, natural resources, and federal land management agencies are a recurring feature of the court's docket given Utah's large proportion of federally administered territory.
Proceedings are governed by the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, and Federal Rules of Evidence, along with the court's local rules. Bankruptcy cases are handled by the companion Bankruptcy Court, District of Utah.
Divisions
Central Division (Salt Lake City), Northern Division (Salt Lake City), Southern Division (St. George)
Caseload
The court's docket includes a notable volume of public lands and natural resources litigation, reflecting Utah's extensive federally managed territory. Criminal cases involving drug trafficking and immigration offenses also represent a significant portion of the court's criminal docket.
Bar Admission
Attorneys must be admitted to the Utah State Bar or otherwise eligible under the court's local rules to practice before this court. Pro hac vice admission is available for attorneys not admitted in Utah who meet the requirements set forth in the local rules.
Clerk's Office
351 South West Temple, Salt Lake City, Utah 84101
(801) 524-6100
Active Judges 11
| Name | Appointed By | Confirmed | Law School |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ann Allen | Joseph R. Biden | 2024 | Brigham Young University, J. Reuben Clark Law School |
| David Barlow | Donald J. Trump | 2019 | Yale Law School |
| Tena Campbell | William J. Clinton | 1995 | Arizona State University College of Law (now Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law) |
| Dale Kimball | William J. Clinton | 1997 | University of Utah College of Law (now S.J. Quinney College of Law) |
| Howard Nielson | Donald J. Trump | 2019 | University of Chicago Law School |
| David Nuffer | Barack Obama | 2012 | Brigham Young University, J. Reuben Clark Law School |
| Jill Parrish | Barack Obama | 2015 | Yale Law School |
| David Sam | Ronald Reagan | 1985 | University of Utah College of Law (now S.J. Quinney College of Law) |
| Robert Shelby | Barack Obama | 2012 | University of Virginia School of Law |
| Brian Stewart | William J. Clinton | 1999 | University of Utah College of Law (now S.J. Quinney College of Law) |
| Clark Waddoups | George W. Bush | 2008 | University of Utah College of Law (now S.J. Quinney College of Law) |
Local Rules
62 local rules extracted from this court's published rules. See the court's official website for the authoritative text.