People aged 17 and younger are considered juveniles. When a juvenile is accused of committing a crime in Utah, his or her case will be assigned an intake officer, who will work with the parents to determine how the case is going to proceed. If the juvenile denies the allegations, he or she will be scheduled for a hearing before a judge. If the juvenile admits guilt, the intake officer might bring them to court for a hearing, or, depending on the circumstances, might be able to develop a contract that will allow the juvenile to avoid court altogether.
Your son or daughter’s juvenile defense attorney in Salt Lake City will guide your child and family through Utah’s court system as the case develops, but this article will help provide at-a-glance information about addresses and phone numbers for juvenile court locations in Salt Lake County and the surrounding counties of Utah’s Third Judicial District.
Can a Minor Be Criminally Charged in Justice or District Court Like an Adult Defendant?
Most juvenile crimes in Utah involve lesser violations and misdemeanor offenses, such as:
- Underage drinking
- Criminal trespass
- Graffiti and other acts of vandalism
- Retail theft (shoplifting) under $1,500
- Simple assault
- Disorderly conduct
- Possession of drug paraphernalia
- Minor drug crimes like simple possession of marijuana
However, there are also instances where juveniles are accused of committing extremely serious felonies, including attempted murder and various aggravated felonies, such as aggravated burglary, aggravated robbery, and aggravated sexual assault. Under Utah’s “Serious Youth Offender Law” (SYOL), a juvenile charged with a felony in Utah as young as 14 years old may be tried in adult criminal court.
Otherwise, Utah’s juvenile courts have jurisdiction over criminal charges, as well as suspected child abuse, child custody disputes, and other legal matters involving minors and children. Salt Lake County’s juvenile courts are separate from its justice courts, which hear criminal cases involving Class B and Class C misdemeanors. For more information about justice courts (and district courts, which hear felonies and Class A misdemeanors), see our article on finding your criminal court in Salt Lake County.
Find Your Juvenile Court in Utah’s Third Judicial District: Tooele, Summit, and Salt Lake County
For court purposes, the state of Utah is divided into eight groups known as judicial districts. Salt Lake County and its juvenile courts belong to the Third Judicial District, along with neighboring Tooele County and Summit County. Third Judicial District juvenile court locations are provided below with contact information for each facility.
- Third District Juvenile Court – Salt Lake County
Matheson Courthouse
450 South State Street
P.O. Box 140431
Salt Lake City, UT 84114
(801) 238-7700 - Courthouse – West Jordan – Third District Juvenile Court
8080 South Redwood Road
West Jordan, UT 84088
(801) 233-9600
Other locations you may need to contact include:
- Third District Juvenile Court – City Probation, Specialty Programs
168 North 1950 West
Suite 104
Salt Lake City, UT 84116
(801) 238-5380 - Third District Juvenile Court – Work Crew
3520 South 700 West
Salt Lake City, UT 84119
(801) 238-5412
- West Valley – Intake, Central Probation, West Probation
3636 South Constitution Boulevard
West Valley City, UT 84119
(801) 957-7840
To reiterate, Tooele County and Summit County are also part of Utah’s Third Judicial District. Tooele County has only one juvenile court, which is located at the following address:
- Courthouse – Tooele County – Third District Juvenile Court
74 South 100 East
Suite 15
Tooele, UT 84074
(435) 833-8040
Summit County also has one juvenile court, which is located at the address below:
- Courthouse – Summit County – Third District Juvenile Court
6300 Justice Center Road
Park City, UT 84098
(435) 615-4320
Was Your Son or Daughter Arrested in Salt Lake City? Contact Our Defense Lawyers
A teenager who is found guilty of a crime in Utah can face serious penalties, including expensive fines, community service, suspension of his or her driver’s license, and, in some cases, placement in a secure facility. If your child was arrested for hazing at high school, or has been charged with other juvenile crimes like vandalism or shoplifting, it’s crucial that they are supported and protected by an aggressive and experienced defense lawyer serving Salt Lake County.
Salt Lake City criminal defense lawyer Darwin Overson has worked on thousands of criminal cases over more than 16 years defending adults and juveniles in Salt Lake County, Tooele County, Summit County, and counties throughout Utah. He understands that your child’s future is precious, and will work closely with your family to fight toward a favorable resolution to your son or daughter’s case.
To start reviewing your son or daughter’s legal situation in a free and completely confidential consultation, call the law offices of Overson Law right away at (801) 758-2287. Darwin represents juveniles in West Valley City, Park City, Tooele, West Jordan, Grantsville, Wendover, Coalville, and other cities in the Salt Lake City area.
