AGENCY: District Court (Third District : Salt Lake County)
SERIES: 1650
TITLE: Minute books
DATES: i 1896-1967.
ARRANGEMENT: Chronological by date.
DESCRIPTION: The minute books document the proceedings of the Third District Court's civil and criminal cases in and for Salt Lake County; minutes for the probate division of the court are not included. Juvenile cases were separated after 1901.
Business matters recorded include court site, officers present, jurors selected, and scheduling and assignment of cases. A typical case will span multiple dates and may appear under more than one judge. The original charge is not always specified; the details were recorded instead in information or indictment records. The case will include indictment or filed complaint; procedural issues; statement of case presentation with witnesses' names but not testimony; the findings; and sentencing/settlement.
Cases include those for murder, larceny, robbery, burglary, assault, rape, riot, polygamy, gambling, narcotics, sodomy, child abuse, prostitution, etc. Liquor law cases are common in the 1920s. Traffic violations are common later. Monetary cases include forgery, embezzlement, and bad check writing. Also included are receivership, garnishment, debt, foreclosure, dissolutions of corporation, and tax commission liens. Bank and loan company liquidations are common in the 1930s. Issues in civil cases are difficult to determine, but include property disputes, wage disputes, and liability claims. Divorce, alimony, and child support cases are common throughout. Commitments to state institutions (e.g._asylum, reform school, tuberculosis sanatorium) are present. The most information occurs in property disputes and in cases where the jury was asked to assign percent of negligence or resolve multiple questions in its findings.
District courts also had the power to grant citizenship and the proceedings are noted with a list of applicants, their witnesses, and their native country.
Most cases are exercises of original jurisdiction, but do include appeals from county, justices, or municipal courts. By the end of the 1960s, minute books were dropped and minute entries instead were made part of individual case files.
RETENTION
DISPOSITION
RETENTION AND DISPOSITION AUTHORIZATION
These records are in Archives' permanent custody.
FORMAT MANAGEMENT
Microfilm duplicate: For records beginning in 1896 through 1967. Retain in State Archives permanently with authority to weed.
Paper: Retain in State Records Center until microfilmed and then destroy provided microfilm has passed inspection.
Microfilm master: Retain in State Archives permanently with authority to weed.
Microfiche master: Retain in State Archives permanently with authority to weed.
Microfiche duplicate: Retain in State Archives permanently with authority to weed.
APPRAISAL
Historical
Disposition is based on the value of these records in understanding all actions associated with the case files of the court.
PRIMARY DESIGNATION
Public