Geographic Jurisdiction for Criminal Prosecution
All felony cases in Utah fall under the jurisdiction of the district courts. These courts have the authority to hear and decide on felony cases, including third-degree felonies. Utah is divided into eight judicial districts, each serving specific counties:
- First District: Box Elder, Cache, and Rich counties.
- Second District: Davis, Morgan, and Weber counties.
- Third District: Salt Lake, Summit, and Tooele counties.
- Fourth District: Juab, Millard, Utah, and Wasatch counties.
- Fifth District: Beaver, Iron, and Washington counties.
- Sixth District: Garfield, Kane, Piute, Sanpete, Sevier, and Wayne counties.
- Seventh District: Carbon, Emery, Grand, and San Juan counties.
- Eighth District: Daggett, Duchesne, and Uintah counties.
State Prosecutors in Felony Cases
Felony prosecution is handled by attorneys representing the State of Utah as plaintiff. State prosecutors include the Attorney General (AG), District Attorneys (DA), or County Attorneys. Each of these offices is headed by an elected official who oversees criminal prosecutions, provides legal advice to State or county officials, and represents the State or county in civil matters.
- Attorney General (AG): The AG is the State’s chief legal officer and handles cases of statewide importance or involving state agencies. The AG’s office can also assist local prosecutors with complex or high-profile cases.
- District Attorneys (DA): In Salt Lake County, the chief prosecutor is known as the District Attorney. The Salt Lake District Attorney’s Office prosecutes felony and misdemeanor cases within Salt Lake County. Although other Utah counties do not use the title “District Attorney” for county-level prosecutors, the term may still be used colloquially to refer to the main prosecuting attorney in a county.
- County Attorneys: Each county in Utah has a County Attorney’s Office responsible for prosecuting felony and misdemeanor cases within the county. Examples include the Davis County Attorney, the Weber County Attorney, and the Utah County Attorney.
- City Attorneys: City attorneys handle legal matters for city governments, including prosecuting misdemeanors and infractions that occur within city limits. They do not prosecute felony cases that are beyond their jurisdiction. (An exception to this felony/misdemeanor distinction would involve a city prosecutor who is “cross-deputized” to handle typically only third-degree felony cases, which still must be filed in the district court.)