School Resources
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Due to preventative measures taken by the Utah Judiciary, all tours of our courthouses are cancelled until further notice. |
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Law Day 2021 - Advancing the Rule of Law NOW
- Materials no longer available
Teachers and Students
- Judicial Outreach Brochure - PDF
- "iCivics" website
- National Center for State Courts: Civics Education
Judges in the Classroom
Your Day in Court
A Manual for Teachers and Students Visiting the Utah State Court Facilities
This is a publication used in elementary and secondary schools as a guide when studying the Utah court system in law-related education classes and when preparing to visit the courts. It was developed by the Utah Law-Related Education Project (www.lawrelatededucation.org) and the Administrative Office of the Courts.
- Your Day in Court - PDF
If you need to know the meaning of a legal term, check out our Glossary of Legal Terms.
Request a Speaker
Judges and court executives are available to speak to students and community groups on a variety of court-related topics.
Request a Tour
Utah has more than 40 courthouses located throughout the state. Court tours are an effective way for students to see first hand how the judiciary operates. With advance notice, students can often sit in on court proceedings and see attorneys arguing their case. When time allows, the judge will speak to the students and answer questions.
Courts are typically in session from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with a noon recess generally planned from noon to 1:30 p.m. Most proceedings in District Court are open to the public. It is helpful if students have some background prior to sitting in on a court case. Viewing the court's jury DVD prior to their visit will help students better understand what they are seeing in the courtroom. The DVD is available at https://www.utcourts.gov/en/self-help/services/juryroom/resources.html
Due to the small nature of district courtrooms, tours are limited to 30 students. Staff members working in full-time positions in the court conduct the tours, which allows for expertise about the court system. However, this also limits the number of tours that the court is able to schedule each month.
When visiting a courthouse, please allow time to go through security. Students should not bring items with them that will set off metal detectors. They must also turn off cell phones while in a courtroom. In addition, students should dress accordingly, which means no shorts, hats, or tank tops.