AGENCY: Salt Lake City (Utah). City Court
SERIES: 4861
TITLE: Civil case registers of actions
DATES: 1902-1968.
ARRANGEMENT: Numerical by case number, thereunder chronological by date document was filed.
DESCRIPTION: The register of actions was used by the court as a record of all documents filed in relation to a specific case. the first entry is typically a notice of the filing of a complaint followed usually by an answer of the defendant. This is followed by one or more summonses and returns of complaints or other documents as appropriate to the individual case. A notice of judgment made or that a garnishment of wages or an attachment of personal property was filed typically ended the case. Routine actions are stamped into the volumes; others are recorded by hand. Not all cases reached the trial stage; but when one did, a full record of actions taken in the case is also entered. Exact charges in the case are not shown, but other information in the entry includes names of parties involved most often the name of the business bringing action against an individual and the names of attorneys for both plaintiff and defendant. The city court held jurisdiction in actions under a certain financial limit, for the recovery of money or breach of contract; actions to recover damages to persons or property or the property itself; actions to recover fines imposed by statute; and actions to enforce or to foreclose liens on personal property, all under a certain financial limit; the types of cases recorded in the register corresponds to these categories.
RETENTION
DISPOSITION
RETENTION AND DISPOSITION AUTHORIZATION
Retention and disposition for this series were specifically approved by the State Records Committee.
APPROVED: 12/1988
FORMAT MANAGEMENT
Paper: Retain in Office for 11 years and then transfer to State Records Center. Retain in State Records Center until processed and then microfilm and destroy provided microfilm has passed inspection.
Microfilm master: Retain in State Archives permanently.
Microfilm duplicate: Retain in State Archives permanently with authority to weed.
APPRAISAL
Historical
This disposition is based on the historical value of these records. Registers of actions document the proceedings and decisions of the city courts and contain a summary of the actions and decisions taken in all civil cases. Keeping the registers of actions was a way for the court to manage or track each case as it went through the litigation process.
PRIMARY DESIGNATION
Public