(a) Custody of Exhibits.
(1) Exhibits Returned to the Offering Party.
(A) Unless the court orders otherwise, the courtroom deputy will
return exhibits in their custody at the conclusion of a hearing or
trial to the offering party.
(B) The courtroom deputy will prepare a receipt that identifies the
returned exhibits when the offering party takes custody. The
offering party must sign and return the receipt to the courtroom
Local Rules of Civil Practice - District of Utah Eff. December 2025
deputy and take possession of the exhibits. The courtroom deputy
will docket the signed receipt.
(2) Offering Party’s Obligation During Appeal. Unless the court orders
otherwise, the offering party must keep any exhibits, whether admitted or
offered-and-not-admitted, and must deliver them to the appellate court, if
required. This obligation remains in effect until any appeal is resolved or
the time for appeal has expired.
(3) Access to Exhibits During the Appeal. For preparation of the record on
appeal, a party must make available all original exhibits, or copies, to any
other party on request or court order.
(4) Exhibits Ordered to Remain in Custody of the Clerk. When the court has
ordered the Clerk of Court to retain custody of an exhibit, the Clerk’s
Office must retain custody until any appeal is resolved or the time for
appeal has expired.
(b) Retention of Exhibits.
(1) Original Exhibits.
The offering party must retain the original exhibit.
(2) Delivery of Exhibits for Retention.
(A) Within 14 days after the docketing of the court’s witness and
exhibit list, each party must deliver a digital storage device
containing its respective exhibits, admitted and offered-but-not-
admitted, to the Clerk’s Office. The Clerk’s Office will docket a
notice of receipt. If a notice of receipt is not docketed, within 21
days after the docketing of the court’s witness and exhibit list, the
opposing party may deliver the other party’s exhibits to the Clerk’s
Office.
Local Rules of Civil Practice - District of Utah Eff. December 2025
(B) Exhibits that are designated sealed on the court’s witness and
exhibit list must be delivered on a separate and marked digital
storage device.
(C) A photograph of a bulky or sensitive exhibit may be included on the
storage device. Examples of bulky or sensitive exhibits include:
(i) controlled substances, poisonous or dangerous chemicals, or
intoxicating liquors;
(ii) firearms, ammunition, or explosive devices;
(iii) pornographic materials;
(iv) jewelry;
(v) money or articles of high monetary value or counterfeit
money;
(vi) demonstrative exhibits; and
(vii) documents or physical exhibits of unusual bulk or weight.
(c) Disposal of Exhibits in the Custody of the Clerk of Court.
(1) The Clerk’s Office will notify the offering party when exhibits retained by
the Clerk of Court may be collected.
(2) The offering party must collect the exhibits within 14 days of the notice.
The same process in section 83-4(a)(1)(B) must be followed.
