Series 22679
District Court (Eighth District : Duchesne County) Criminal case files

Dates: 1915-

6.00 cubic feet and 10 microfilm reelsSkip to Containers

These records are housed in the Utah State Archives' permanent storage room.

Scope and Content

Case files are made up of the various documents filed with the Eighth District Court in Duchesne County pertaining to each specific case. The records usually contain information such as the case number, and the names of the defendants, counsel, jurors, and witnesses. The case file may include complaints, indictments, subpoenas, verdicts, warrants of arrest, execution or confinement, warrant returns, affidavits, orders, judgments, appeal notices. Files rarely include transcripts of testimony.

First, second, and third degree felony cases are the predominant case file type within this series (a major crime for which the maximum imprisonment is more than one year in a state correctional institution). This would include first degree offenses such as murder, rape, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated burglary and robbery, arson, and possession with intent to distribute drugs. Second degree offenses include: manslaughter, robbery, residential burglary, kidnapping, perjury, forgery, theft of property valued over $1,000.00, forcible sexual abuse, and intentional child abuse. Third degree felonies include: burglary of non-dwellings, theft, aggravated assault, forgery, unlawful sexual intercourse, joyriding, possession with intent to distribute marijuana or cocaine, and false or forged prescriptions.

This series also contains misdemeanor cases which are punishable by a county jail term of up to one year and/or a fine. Misdemeanors include: negligent homicide, driving under the influence, theft, assault on a police officer, criminal mischief, resisting arrest, reckless driving, possession of marijuana, shoplifting, trespassing, and possession of a concealed weapon.

Juvenile cases tried prior to 1907 can also be found in this series. In 1907, a separate statewide juvenile court was established allowing juvenile court jurisdiction in all matters involving children 18 years of age and younger, including parents and guardians of juvenile delinquents.

Missing cases should not be found in appellate court records since the Supreme Court is required by law [Rule 76 (d)] to remit their decision to the District Court "together with such papers transmitted to the Supreme Court on appeal." Furthermore, Rule 75 (n) states that after the appeal has been disposed of, any original papers should be returned to the custody of the district court. Cases which are appealed to the District Court from lower courts will be found in this series.

Arrangement

Numerical by case number.

Related Records

Criminal register of actions from the District Court (Eighth District : Duchesne County), Series 10297, contain register entries and alphabetical indices which can be used to identify the case file numbers needed to access this series for criminal cases between 1915 and 1967.

Custody History

Case files 1 to 444 (1915-1955) were transferred to the State Archives by the court in June 2009.

Additional Forms

This series is available on microfilm.

Access Restrictions

This series is classified as Public.

Preferred Citation

Cite the Utah State Archives and Records Service, the creating agency name, the series title, and the series number.

Gaps in Series

Cases 24, 25, 48, 80, 207, 371, and 382 are missing.

Processing Note

This series was archivally processed by Jim Kichas in August 2009.

Indexing Terms

Container List

REEL BOX DATE DESCRIPTION
1 1 1915-1921 1-38
2 1 1921-1924 39-76
3 1 1924-1927 77-106
3 2 1927 107-117
4 2 1927-1932 118-169
5 2 1932-1933 170-197
5 3 1933-1935 198-221
6 3 1935-1938 222-266
7 3 1938-1939 267-282
7 4 1939-1940 283-303
8 4 1940-1948 304-371
8 5 1948 372-373
9 5 1948-1953 374-418
10 5 1953-1955 419-444

Page Last Updated October 18, 2012.