The parties may modify the limits and procedures for disclosure and discovery by filing, before the close of standard discovery and after reaching the limits of standard discovery imposed by these rules, a stipulated statement that the extraordinary discovery is necessary and proportional under Rule 26(b)(2) and that each party has reviewed and approved a discovery budget. Stipulations extending the time for disclosure or discovery do not require a statement regarding proportionality or discovery budgets. Stipulations extending the time for or limits of disclosure or discovery require court approval only if the extension would interfere with a court order for completion of discovery or with the date of a hearing or trial.
Rule 29.Stipulations regarding disclosure and discovery procedure
Part V: Depositions and Discovery · Last amended November 1, 2011 · Last verified July 13, 2026
In one sentenceRule 29 lets parties stipulate to discovery beyond the standard limits, but only after certifying that the extra discovery is necessary, proportional, and budgeted.
Full Text of Rule 29
Amendment History
Amended effective Jan. 1, 1987; November 1, 1999; November 1, 2011.
Plain-English Summary
Utah's discovery rules set default limits on how much disclosure and discovery each case gets, tied to the case's standard track. Rule 29 gives parties an escape valve: they can agree in writing to go beyond those limits once they've reached them. That written stipulation has to state that the extraordinary discovery is necessary and proportional under Rule 26(b)(2), and that every party has reviewed and approved a discovery budget for the additional work.
Not every stipulation needs that level of ceremony. If the parties are only agreeing to extend a deadline — rather than expand the scope or amount of discovery — they don't need to include the proportionality and budget language. And most stipulations, whether they extend deadlines or expand limits, don't need a judge's sign-off at all. Court approval only becomes necessary if the stipulation would interfere with a court order setting the discovery schedule, or with a hearing or trial date already on the calendar.
The practical effect is that parties who agree on how to run their own case can generally do so without burdening the court, as long as they document why the added discovery is warranted and stay out of the way of dates the court has already set.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the parties agree to more discovery than the rules normally allow?
Yes, once they've reached the standard discovery limits. They need a written stipulation stating that the extra discovery is necessary and proportional under Rule 26(b)(2) and that every party has reviewed and approved a discovery budget.
Does a stipulation to extend a discovery deadline need a proportionality statement?
No. Stipulations that only extend time — without expanding the scope or amount of discovery — skip the proportionality and discovery-budget language required for extraordinary discovery.
Do discovery stipulations need a judge's approval?
Only if the stipulation would interfere with a court order governing the completion of discovery, or with an existing hearing or trial date. Otherwise the parties can handle it themselves.
What does it mean for parties to have a "discovery budget"?
It means the parties have reviewed and agreed on the anticipated cost of the extraordinary discovery before committing to it, as part of showing that the added discovery is proportional to the case.
Source & verification. Rule text, Advisory Committee Notes, and
amendment history are reproduced verbatim from the Utah Rules of Civil Procedure,
adopted by the Utah Supreme Court. Last verified July 13, 2026. ·
Official source
Also known as: discovery stipulation utahextend discovery deadline agreement utahdiscovery budget rule utahexpand discovery limits utah