Series 12376

DESCRIPTION: This series contains the criminal case files sealed and expunged by the Third District Court from 1896-1970. These case files document individual criminal cases tried by the Third District Court in Salt Lake County. Actions taken in each case are recorded on separate documents and then filed together to become the case file. The records contain important information such as Case Number, Plaintiff, Defendant, Counsel [for plaintiff and defendant], Names of Jurors, and Names of Witnesses. The case file always contains the original Complaint that began the case, the original Indictment, and Subpoenas for witnesses. The case may also include: Verdicts, Warrants, Returns of Warrants, Informational Papers, Affidavits, Affidavits of Impecuniosity [inability to pay for counsel, thus enabling court appointment], Court Orders, Judgments, Warrants of execution and Confinement, Warrants of Death, Notices of Appeal, Demurrers [claim of insufficient grounds to justify legal action], Answers to Demurrers, Orders to Show Cause, but rarely transcripts of testimony.

ARRANGEMENT: Numerical by case number.

RELATED RECORDS: Series #13457, CRIMINAL JUDGMENT RECORD BOOKS, summarize the proceedings and final judgment of the action taken in criminal cases. Series #3834, CRIMINAL JUDGMENT DOCKETS, list the plaintiff and defendant, appellate decisions, where the judgment was entered in the corresponding judgment book, and satisfactions of judgment for each case. Series #1471, CRIMINAL CASE FILES, contain those cases not sealed by the court. Series #1650, MINUTE BOOKS, include summaries of some of these criminal cases. Series #3291, CRIMINAL CASE TRANSCRIPTS, contain the court transcripts for each case. Series #3253, CRIMINAL REGISTERS OF ACTIONS, function as a chronological list of documents filed and fees paid which relate to these case files. Series #3568, JUDGMENT CASE FILES, contain a duplicate copy of the final judgment in each case. Series #13126, INDEX TO CRIMINAL CASE FILES, contain a surname index to cases tried from 1896-1915.

FINDING AIDS: Surname indexes are available in other series. A research guide entitled "Using Court Records" is also available for patron use.

ACCESS RESTRICTIONS: This series has been sealed by the court. Sealed judicial records may only be disclosed upon court order and expunged records remain exempt from disclosure (Rule 4-202.03 [1993]).

PROCESSING NOTE: This series was microfilmed in December of 1993 by the Utah State Archives. Those cases sealed by the court were pulled at that time from series #1471, CRIMINAL CASE FILES to become this series. This series was processed by Kenneth R. Williams in January of 1994.

GAPS IN THE SERIES: Sealed case files from 1896-1940 are missing.

CONTAINER LIST