Rule 100A.Case management of domestic relations actions

Part XII: Family Law · Last amended November 1, 2023 · Last verified July 13, 2026

In one sentenceRule 100A sorts new domestic relations cases into a standard, complex-discovery, or significant-custody-dispute track at an early case management conference, so the court can match scheduling and resources to how contested the case is.

Full Text of Rule 100A

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(a) Case management tracks. Except those initiated by the Office of Recovery Services, all domestic relations actions, as defined in Rule 26.1, will be set for a case management conference before the court, or a case manager assigned by the court, after an answer to the action is filed. At the case management conference, the court or a case manager assigned by the court must determine into which of the following tracks the case will be placed:

(1) Track 1: Standard Track. This category includes all cases that do not require expert witnesses or complex discovery. The court will certify a Track 1 case directly for trial. If the parties have not yet mediated, the court will order the parties to participate in good faith mediation before the trial takes place.

(2) Track 2: Complex Discovery Track. This category includes cases with complex issues that require extraordinary discovery, such as valuation of a business. For a Track 2 case, at the case management conference the court will set a discovery schedule with input from the parties and schedule the case for a pretrial hearing.

(3) Track 3: Significant Custody Dispute Track. This category includes cases with significant custody disputes, including custody disputes involving allegations of child abuse or domestic violence. For a Track 3 case, at the case management conference the court and parties will address: 1) whether a custody evaluation is necessary, and, if so, the form of the evaluation and appointment considerations; and 2) whether appointment of a private guardian ad litem is necessary, and if so, the scope of the appointment and apportionment of costs. The court will prepare and issue any resulting orders appointing a custody evaluator or guardian ad litem and schedule the case for either a pretrial hearing or a custody evaluation settlement conference.

(b) The court may set additional hearings as necessary under Rules 16 or 101. Nothing in this rule prohibits a court from assigning a case to more than one track, at the court’s discretion, or otherwise managing a case differently from the above guidelines for good cause.

End

Amendment History

Added effective November 1, 2022; November 1, 2023.

Plain-English Summary

Not every divorce or custody case needs the same handling. Rule 100A builds a sorting step into domestic relations cases: after the answer is filed, the court or an assigned case manager holds a case management conference and places the case on one of three tracks. Track 1, the standard track, covers cases without expert witnesses or complicated discovery — the court certifies these directly for trial, ordering mediation first if the parties haven't already tried it. Track 2 is for cases that need extraordinary discovery, such as valuing a business, and the court sets a discovery schedule and a pretrial hearing. Track 3 is for cases with a significant custody dispute, including allegations of abuse or domestic violence; at the conference the court and parties address whether a custody evaluation or a guardian ad litem is needed and, if so, its scope and cost.

The track assignment isn't a life sentence. The rule lets a court set additional hearings under Rules 16 or 101, assign a case to more than one track, or manage it differently from the standard guidelines for good cause. The point is flexibility with a starting framework: cases initiated by the Office of Recovery Services are excluded, and the definition of a domestic relations action comes from Rule 26.1.

Frequently Asked Questions

What counts as a domestic relations action under Rule 100A?

The rule uses the definition in Rule 26.1. Cases initiated by the Office of Recovery Services are excluded from the tracking requirement.

When does the case management conference happen?

After an answer to the action is filed, the court or a case manager assigned by the court sets a case management conference to determine the case's track.

What's the difference between the three tracks?

Track 1 (standard) goes straight to trial certification, with mediation ordered first if it hasn't happened. Track 2 (complex discovery) gets a tailored discovery schedule and a pretrial hearing for cases like business valuations. Track 3 (significant custody dispute) addresses whether a custody evaluation or guardian ad litem is needed before scheduling a pretrial hearing or custody evaluation settlement conference.

Can a court deviate from the standard track guidelines?

Yes. The court can assign a case to more than one track or manage it differently from the rule's guidelines for good cause, and it can set additional hearings under Rules 16 or 101.

Source & verification. Rule text, Advisory Committee Notes, and amendment history are reproduced verbatim from the Utah Rules of Civil Procedure, adopted by the Utah Supreme Court. Last verified July 13, 2026. · Official source

Also known as: domestic relations case tracksdivorce case management conferencetrack 1 track 2 track 3 divorce casecustody evaluation scheduling utahcomplex discovery track divorce