Rule 7A.Motion to enforce order and for sanctions

Part III: Pleadings, Motions, and Orders · Last amended November 1, 2024 · Last verified July 13, 2026

In one sentenceRule 7A gives a party a fast, self-contained procedure for asking a court to enforce one of its own orders and to sanction the party who violated it, up to and including contempt.

Full Text of Rule 7A

Text sizeJump to: (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) (h)

(a) Motion. To enforce a court order or to obtain a sanctions order for violation of an order, including in supplemental proceedings under Rule 64, a party must file an ex parte motion to enforce order and for sanctions (if requested), pursuant to this rule and Rule 7. The motion must be filed in the same case in which that order was entered. The timeframes set forth in this rule, rather than those set forth in Rule 7, govern motions to enforce orders and for sanctions.

(b) Verification. The motion must state the title and date of entry of the order that the moving party seeks to enforce. The motion must either be verified, or be accompanied by at least one supporting affidavit or declaration that is based on personal knowledge and shows that the affiant or declarant is competent to testify on the matters set forth. The verified motion, affidavit, or declaration must set forth facts that would be admissible in evidence and that would support a finding that the party has violated the order.

(c) Proposed order. The motion must be accompanied by a request to submit for decision and a proposed order to attend hearing, which must:

(1) state the title and date of entry of the order that the motion seeks to enforce;

(2) state the relief sought in the motion;

(3) state whether the motion is requesting that the other party be held in contempt and, if so, state that the penalties for contempt may include, but are not limited to, a fine of up to $1000 and confinement in jail for up to 30 days;

(4) order the other party to appear personally or through counsel at a specific place (the court’s address) and date and time (left blank for the court clerk to fill in) to explain whether the nonmoving party has violated the order; and

(5) state that no written response to the motion is required but is permitted if filed within 14 days of service of the order, unless the court sets a different time, and that any written response must follow the requirements of Rule 7.

(d) Service of the order. If the court issues an order to attend a hearing, the moving party must have the order, motion, and all supporting documents served on the nonmoving party at least 28 days before the hearing. Service must be in a manner provided in Rule 4 if the nonmoving party is not represented by counsel in the case. If the nonmoving party is represented by counsel in the case, service must be made on the nonmoving party’s counsel of record in a manner provided in Rule 5. For purposes of this rule, a party is represented by counsel if, within the last 120 days, counsel for that party has served or filed any documents in the case and has not withdrawn. The court may shorten the 28 day period if:

(1) the motion requests an earlier date; and

(2) it clearly appears from specific verified facts that immediate and irreparable injury, loss, or damage will result to the moving party if the hearing is not held sooner.

(e) Opposition. A written opposition is not required, but if filed, must be filed within 14 days of service of the order, unless the court sets a different time, and must follow the requirements of Rule 7.

(f) Reply. If the nonmoving party files a written opposition, the moving party may file a reply within seven days of the filing of the opposition to the motion, unless the court sets a different time. Any reply must follow the requirements of Rule 7.

(g) Hearing. At the hearing the court may receive evidence, hear argument, and rule upon the motion, or may request additional briefing or hearings. The moving party bears the burden of proof on all claims made in the motion. At the court's discretion, the court may convene a telephone conference before the hearing to preliminarily address any issues related to the motion, including whether the court would like to order a briefing schedule other than as set forth in this rule.

(h) Limitations.

(1) This rule does not apply to:

(A) proceedings instituted by the court on its own initiative to enforce an order;

(B) criminal cases; or

(2) Nothing in this rule is intended to limit or alter the inherent power of the court to initiate order to show cause proceedings to assess whether cases should be dismissed for failure to prosecute or to otherwise manage the court’s docket, or to limit the authority of the court to hold a party in contempt for failure to appear pursuant to a court order.

(i) Orders to show cause. The process set forth in this rule replaces and supersedes the prior order to show cause procedure. An order to attend hearing serves as an order to show cause as that term is used in Utah law.

End

Amendment History

Added effective May 1, 2021; amended effective May 1, 2023; amended effective November 1, 2024.

Plain-English Summary

Rule 7A exists for a narrow situation: a court has already entered an order, and someone isn't following it. Rather than route that dispute through Rule 7's ordinary motion timeline, Rule 7A gives it its own track, faster in some ways, more front-loaded in others. The party seeking enforcement files an ex parte motion to enforce order and for sanctions, in the same case where the original order was entered, and this rule's deadlines — not Rule 7's — control from that point on.

Because the motion asks a court to find that someone violated an order, it needs real evidentiary backing up front. The motion itself must be verified, or supported by an affidavit or declaration based on personal knowledge, and it has to lay out facts that would be admissible in evidence and that would support a finding of violation. It must also come with a proposed order directing the other party to appear and explain themselves. If the moving party wants a contempt finding, the proposed order has to spell out the potential penalties — a fine up to $1,000 and up to 30 days in jail — so nobody is caught off guard.

Once the court signs that order to attend a hearing, the moving party has to serve the order, the motion, and all supporting documents at least 28 days before the hearing date. The court can shorten that window only if the motion asks for an earlier date and specific verified facts show that waiting would cause immediate, irreparable harm. A written opposition isn't required, but if one is filed, it's due within 14 days of service, and a reply follows seven days after that. At the hearing itself, the burden of proving the violation rests on the moving party.

Rule 7A does not reach everywhere. It doesn't apply to proceedings a court starts on its own to enforce an order, to criminal cases, or to sanctions motions under Rule 37(b) for discovery violations. And it doesn't cut back on a court's inherent authority to manage its docket or hold someone in contempt for skipping a hearing. The rule replaces the older "order to show cause" procedure — an order to attend a hearing under Rule 7A now serves the same function.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a motion to enforce order and for sanctions?

It's the procedure a party uses when someone has violated a court order that's already been entered in the case. The moving party files an ex parte motion asking the court to enforce the order and, if requested, to sanction the violator, which can include a contempt finding.

Do I need proof before I file, or can I just allege a violation?

You need proof up front. The motion must be verified or backed by an affidavit or declaration based on personal knowledge, and it has to set out facts that would be admissible in evidence and would support a finding that the order was violated.

What penalties can result from a Rule 7A contempt finding?

If the motion asks the court to hold the other party in contempt, the proposed order must warn that penalties can include a fine of up to $1,000 and confinement in jail for up to 30 days.

How much notice does the other party get before the hearing?

At least 28 days. The moving party must serve the order, the motion, and all supporting documents that far in advance, though the court can shorten the period if the motion requests an earlier date and specific verified facts show immediate, irreparable harm otherwise.

Do I have to file a written response to a Rule 7A motion?

No. A written opposition isn't required. But if you want to file one, it's due within 14 days of service of the order, unless the court sets a different deadline, and it must follow Rule 7's formatting requirements.

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

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