Court records in Iron County, Utah are maintained by the clerk of the district court and the justice court and can be accessed through several channels. IronCourt.us can help you find publicly available court record information for Iron County. You can also search records through the Utah Courts Xchange portal, visit the clerk's office in person at the Cedar City courthouse, or contact the Iron County Justice Court for cases heard at that level.
Iron County Court System Overview
Iron County is part of Utah's Fifth Judicial District, which also serves Beaver County and Washington County. The Fifth District Court handles all general jurisdiction matters for Iron County residents, including felonies, major civil disputes, family law, and probate. Justice courts in the county handle misdemeanors, small claims, infractions, and traffic offenses. The district court in Iron County sits in Cedar City, where judges rotate among the three counties in the district as caseloads require.
Courts Serving Iron County
| Court | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Fifth District Court — Iron County | 40 N 100 E, Cedar City, UT 84720 | 435-867-3222 |
| Iron County Justice Court | 82 N 100 E #101, Cedar City, UT 84720 | 435-865-5335 |
| Cedar City Justice Court | 10 N Main St, Cedar City, UT 84720 | 435-586-2953 |
| U.S. District Court, District of Utah | 351 S West Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84101 | 801-524-6100 |
Iron County falls within the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah for federal matters. Note that the Parowan City Justice Court is closing effective July 1, 2025, and all existing cases will transfer to the Iron County Justice Court.
What Types of Cases Iron County Courts Hear
Courts serving Iron County handle a broad range of case types across criminal, civil, and specialized dockets:
- Criminal: Felonies, misdemeanors, infractions, DUI
- Civil: Lawsuits, debt collection, contract disputes, small claims
- Family law: Divorce, custody, child support, paternity, protective orders
- Probate: Decedent estates, guardianships, conservatorships, trust matters
- Juvenile: Delinquency, child protective proceedings, adoption
- Traffic: Moving violations, parking citations
The district court and justice courts divide these matters based on severity and dollar thresholds established by Utah law.
District Court Cases in Iron County
The Fifth District Court in Cedar City hears all felony cases after bindover from a preliminary hearing, civil lawsuits exceeding the justice court's jurisdictional limit, domestic relations matters, probate proceedings, and appeals from justice court decisions. Cases typically arrive at district court through a criminal information or indictment filed by the Iron County Attorney, or through a civil complaint filed by a party. A district court judge is assigned to each case, and proceedings follow the Utah Rules of Civil or Criminal Procedure. Post-conviction matters — including motions to reduce charges and petitions for expungement certificates — are also handled at this level.
Magistrate Court Cases in Iron County
In Utah, justice courts function as the magistrate-level courts. The Iron County Justice Court handles class B and C misdemeanors, infractions, traffic violations, DUI arraignments, and small claims cases. Under Utah law, justice courts have civil jurisdiction over cases where the amount in controversy does not exceed $11,000 and small claims jurisdiction up to $11,000. Felony preliminary hearings may also be conducted at this level before cases are bound over to district court. The justice court in Cedar City processes a high volume of traffic and misdemeanor matters originating from both county and municipal law enforcement agencies.
Family Law, Probate, and Juvenile Matters in Iron County
Family law: Divorce, custody, child support, paternity, civil protective orders, and termination of parental rights are all filed in the Fifth District Court. Utah requires a 30-day waiting period for divorce cases after filing. Protective order hearings can be scheduled on an expedited basis.
Probate: The district court handles decedent estates, guardianships, conservatorships, and trust disputes. Historical probate court records for Iron County may be available through the Utah Division of Archives.
Juvenile: Juvenile court proceedings — including delinquency cases and Child Protective Act matters — are handled by the Fifth District Juvenile Court. Juvenile records are confidential under Utah law and are not available through public case search tools. Contact the juvenile court directly for access questions.
How Cases Move Through the Iron County Court System
- Filing / Initiation: A criminal complaint or information is filed by the prosecutor; a civil complaint or petition is filed by a party or attorney with the appropriate court clerk.
- Case assignment: The case is assigned to a judge. In the Fifth District, judges may rotate among Iron, Beaver, and Washington counties.
- Initial hearing: Criminal defendants appear for arraignment; civil parties attend a scheduling conference or initial case management hearing.
- Pre-trial phase: Parties exchange discovery, file motions, and — in criminal cases — may engage in plea negotiations.
- Trial or resolution: Cases are resolved by plea agreement, bench or jury trial, settlement, or default judgment.
- Post-judgment: Criminal cases proceed to sentencing. Civil judgments may be enforced or appealed. Appeals from justice court go to district court; appeals from district court go to the Utah Court of Appeals.
Court Administration, Local Rules, and Public Access in Iron County
The Fifth District is administered by an administrative presiding judge and a trial court administrator who oversee operations across Beaver, Iron, and Washington counties. Local rules and supplemental procedures for the Fifth District are published on the Utah State Courts website.
Public access to records: Under Utah Code of Judicial Administration Rule 4-202, most court records are public unless classified as private, protected, sealed, or safeguarded. Effective April 1, 2012, some records in certain civil actions became private by rule. You can search district and justice court case information through the Utah Courts Xchange portal online — guest access is available, and free public terminals are also available at courthouse locations.
Justice court records: The Iron County Justice Court accepts record requests through its online request form. Allow up to 10 business days for processing. Fees apply.
Attending hearings: Hearings are open to the public unless sealed by court order. The Fifth District Court offers audio recording copies of proceedings upon request. Remote hearing options are available for certain case types — contact the court clerk to confirm.
Court Records and Related Court Resources in Iron County
- Court case search: Use Xchange to search district and justice court case records statewide, including Iron County. Document images from district court filings are available for purchase.
- Court records overview: The Utah Courts records page explains public access policies, media guidelines, and juvenile court access rules.
- Iron County Justice Court records: Submit requests through the Iron County Justice Court request form.
- Criminal history records: The Utah Bureau of Criminal Identification processes criminal background checks. The current fee for a personal Right of Access search is $20.
- Warrant search: Check Utah warrants through the BCI's free statewide warrants search tool.
- Iron County jail — current inmates: The Iron County Sheriff's Office inmate roster lists individuals currently booked into the Iron County Jail.
- Recent arrests: View recent bookings from the past three days on the Sheriff's Office website. Booking photos are no longer published due to Utah law.
- GRAMA records requests: Request law enforcement records from the Iron County Sheriff through the GRAMA records request form.
- State prison offender search: The Utah Department of Corrections offender search covers sentenced individuals in state custody. Those in county jail awaiting trial will not appear.
- Board of Pardons hearings: Search upcoming hearings and past decisions for individuals under the Board of Pardons and Parole.
- Expungement eligibility: Learn about sealing criminal records through the BCI expungement page, which outlines eligibility under U.C.A. 77-40a.
- Vital records: Order birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates through the Utah Office of Vital Records. For marriages before 1978 or divorces outside the 1978–2010 window, contact the Iron County Clerk's office.
- Property and land records: The Iron County Recorder maintains deeds, liens, and other recorded documents.