Iron County is part of Utah’s Fifth Judicial District. Cedar City is largest city, and home to the county’s two busiest criminal courts — the Iron County District Court and the Iron County Justice Court.
District Court or Justice Court?
The Iron County District Court in Cedar City handles all felony and class A misdemeanor charges. If an incident involves class B or class C misdemeanor charges along with a felony or class A misdemeanor, then all should normally be filed in a single case in the district court.
An incident leading only to class B or class C misdemeanor charges should be filed directly in justice court. Most justice court cases in Iron County are filed in Cedar City at the Iron County Justice Court. Parowan City also has a justice court, but it is restricted to handling only cases arising from incidents inside city limits.
How do I know which court has my case?
Felony Charges: If you are charged with a felony or class A misdemeanor in Iron County, the case will be handled in at the district court in Cedar City. District Court. This is the only court in Iron County with jurisdiction over felony and class A misdemeanor charges.
Misdemeanor Citation Info: If you receive a misdemeanor citation but are not formally booked into jail, the citation should include the name of the court where the case will be filed, along with the court’s address and phone number. This information is often found on the left side of the citation paper. Most often, your case will be handled in the Iron County Justice Court.
Jail Release Info: If you are booked into jail but then released before your court date, jail personnel should give you court date, time, and location information upon your release. If you posted bail/bond through a bond company, they should also have access to your court hearing information.
Changed Charges: If you are booked into jail, the arresting officer will usually list specific charges in the jail booking information. These charges may be modified, reduced, increased, or replaced with other charges after police reports have been reviewed by a prosecuting attorney. It is good to contact the court (or contact your attorney) well in advance of any scheduled hearing to make sure nothing has changed.
Hiring a Defense Attorney for Iron County
Criminal charges can carry significant consequences, both in direct connection to the case and also arising collateral to the case. Beyond figuring out when and where to appear for a court hearing, having the advice of an experienced attorney can be critical to identifying your most important goals and formulating the best defense strategy for your case.