Rule 1.080.Format and Location of Court Rules
Current through August 1, 2026 · Last verified September 12, 2026
Full Text of Rule 1.080
Plain-English Summary
Two housekeeping requirements open the rule. All UTCR and all SLR must include a table of contents. Each page of a set of SLR must carry a footer showing the page number, the revision date that applies to the set, the judicial district number, and the name of the court. The footer is more useful than it sounds: a loose page from a district's rules can be identified and dated without hunting for the cover.
Numbering comes next, and it exists to keep two systems from colliding. An SLR must be numbered as closely as possible to, and in the same chapter as, the related statewide rule. The rule gives its own example: a court adopting an SLR to carry out the scheduling provisions of UTCR 7.010 would appropriately number it SLR 7.011. SLR numbers must fall between multiples of 10, such as .015 or .021 rather than .010, because the UTCR use only multiples of 10. Read a number and you know which system you are in.
Sometimes the statewide rule names the local number for you. This rule points to the places where a specific SLR number is required, listing filing of documents under UTCR 1.160(2), electronic recording and writing under UTCR 3.180(11), pretrial settlement conferences under UTCR 6.200(4), and arbitration proceedings under UTCR 13.010. When a UTCR reserves a number, the district must use that number rather than picking its own.
Finally, some chapters are set aside by subject. A court that wants a chapter dedicated to alternative dispute resolution must use chapter 12 for all rules on its ADR program. Chapter 12 is reserved for SLR on mediation, chapter 14 for reference judges, chapter 15 for small claims, chapter 16 for violations, chapter 17 for local parking violations, chapter 18 for forcible entry and detainer actions, and chapter 20 for voluntary arbitration. The commentary to the rule adds one clarification worth knowing: the SLR that UTCR 1.050(1)(c) requires on scheduling and notification was never meant to sit in chapter 1, but in chapter 7 or another chapter matching the subject.
Frequently Asked Questions
What number should a new local rule get?
Put it in the same chapter as the related statewide rule and as close to that rule's number as possible, and choose a number that falls between multiples of 10. The rule's own example is a scheduling SLR tied to UTCR 7.010, appropriately numbered SLR 7.011.
Why can a local rule not be numbered .010?
Because the UTCR use only multiples of 10 for their own numbering, and those numbers are reserved. Keeping SLR numbers between the multiples means a reader can tell a local rule from a statewide one at a glance, and a new statewide rule will not land on top of an existing local one.
Which chapter holds a court's mediation or ADR rules?
Chapter 12. A court that wants a chapter dedicated to alternative dispute resolution must use chapter 12 for all rules pertaining to its ADR program, and chapter 12 is the reserved home for SLR relating to mediation.
What has to appear on each page of a set of local rules?
A footer showing the page number, the revision date applicable to that set of SLR, the judicial district number, and the name of the court. The set also has to include a table of contents.
Are there local rule numbers the UTCR require a court to use?
Yes. This rule points to specific SLR numbers required elsewhere in the UTCR, covering filing of documents under UTCR 1.160(2), electronic recording and writing under UTCR 3.180(11), pretrial settlement conferences under UTCR 6.200(4), and arbitration proceedings under UTCR 13.010. Where a statewide rule reserves a number for a local rule, that is the number to use.