Pleading With You In Utah
Description
Form popularity
FAQ
Draft your pleading on legal paper and include your identifying information and a caption that states the involved parties and case number. Draft the body with numbered paragraphs, double spacing, clear headings, and page numbers. Include a certificate of service in your submission.
Pleadings can be categorized as complaints or answers, though both have variations. A party filing a complaint is the complaining party, while the other side is the responding party. Pleadings set forth parties' positions in the action, such as allegations, claims, defenses and denials.
Rule 11 was designed to highlight the importance of constitutional rights by requiring the judge in district court to discuss these rights with the defendant before accepting his plea. In other words, Rule 11 was created to help the defendant understand the basic consequences of the decision to plead guilty.
Time to Respond In most cases, if the defendant is served in Utah, they must file their answer within 21 calendar days after the date of service. If the defendant is served outside Utah, they must file an answer within 30 calendar days after service.
Any party may file a response to a motion within 14 days after the motion is served; however, the court may, for good cause shown, dispense with, shorten, or extend the time for responding to any motion.
If the opposing party does not answer, then you have to file a motion to compel the opposing party to respond. The party must answer your request if the court orders them to. If the party still does not answer, they can be held in contempt of court and/or a default judgment can be issued in your favor.
Any party may file a response to a motion; Rule 27(a)(2) governs its contents. The response must be filed within 10 days after service of the motion unless the court shortens or extends the time.
Every pleading must have a caption with the court's name, a title, a file number, and a Rule 7(a) designation. The title of the complaint must name all the parties; the title of other pleadings, after naming the first party on each side, may refer generally to other parties.
FRCP Rule 12(b) pertains to pretrial motions, and 12(b)(6) specifically deals with motions to dismiss for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted. As a practical matter, Rule 12(b)(6) motions are rarely successful, and when they are, their success usually has more to do with the judge than the law.
Some people worry that if they plead “not guilty,” when they feel they are really guilty, that it could hurt them later. Please do not worry.
