At a Glance (Utah Law)
Under Utah Rule of Civil Procedure 100A, all domestic‑relations actions are assigned to a case‑management track (Standard, Complex Discovery, or Significant Custody Dispute) after an answer is filed. Your track affects scheduling, discovery, and whether custody evaluations or other experts are likely to be involved. Rule 100A has been in effect since November 1, 2022, and applies in all Utah District Courts, including the Third District (Salt Lake City, West Jordan, Sandy) and Fourth District (Provo, Orem, Pleasant Grove).

If you’ve recently filed, or are about to file, a divorce or custody case in Utah, your case will be assigned a track under Rule 100A. For many self‑represented parties this happens quietly, but it shapes the entire arc of the case from early conferences, to discovery timelines, to the likelihood of custody evaluations.

In Salt Lake County and in Fourth District courts covering Provo, Orem, and Pleasant Grove, track assignment is one of the earliest strategic decisions in your case, and one that you can ask the court to revisit if it doesn’t fit the facts.

Salt Lake City courtroom for Utah Rule 100A hearings and coercive control custody litigation at CoilLaw.

Under Utah Rule 100A and the 2026 updates in H.B. 303, Salt Lake City courts now have a clearer framework for recognizing a pattern of coercive control in custody determinations.

What Is Utah Rule of Civil Procedure 100A?

Rule 100A is a case‑management rule for domestic‑relations actions, including divorces, custody disputes, paternity actions, and many modifications. It provides that after an answer is filed, the case will be set for a case‑management conference before the court (or a designated case manager), where the court must determine which track the case belongs in.

Once assigned, the track guides:

The expected overall timeline.
The depth and timing of discovery.
Whether the case is likely to involve custody evaluations, guardians ad litem, or other experts.

The Three Tracks Under Rule 100A

Rule 100A defines three tracks:

Track 1 – Standard Track
- Covers cases that do not require expert witnesses or complex discovery.
- The court typically sets a streamlined schedule, moving the case toward mediation and trial without extended pretrial procedures.
Track 2 – Complex Discovery Track
- For cases that require complex discovery, which can include business valuations, tracing of assets, complex financial holdings, or other fact‑intensive issues needing extended discovery and often expert assistance.
Track 3 – Significant Custody Dispute Track
- For cases involving significant disputes over custody or parent‑time, including allegations of child abuse or domestic violence, and cases where custody evaluations or guardians ad litem may be needed.

Your original labels (“Standard,” “Complex Discovery,” “Significant Dispute”) are generally right, but the third track is more precisely about significant custody disputes, not every kind of dispute.

How Track Assignment Works in Practice

Track assignment generally happens at the case‑management conference after an answer is filed. The court (or case manager) considers:

The type of claims (divorce, custody, parentage, modification).
Whether there are allegations of abuse or serious custody disputes.
Whether complex discovery or expert witnesses are anticipated.

The parties can provide input, and the court has discretion to assign a case to more than one track or manage it differently for good cause.

In broad strokes:

Track 1 cases move the fastest and are best suited for simpler matters with no significant custody disputes or complex assets.
Track 2 cases involve more extensive financial or factual discovery and often take longer because of valuation and expert work.
Track 3 cases involve significant custody disputes and safety concerns, and they may involve evaluations, additional hearings, and more intensive judicial oversight.

What Most People Miss: You Can Ask to Revisit Your Track

Track assignment is not necessarily permanent. Rule 100A allows courts to manage cases differently from the guideline tracks for good cause, and courts can adjust scheduling and procedures as the case develops.

If your case is assigned to Track 1 but actually involves complex assets or serious abuse allegations, that mismatch can limit the tools that are available early on. Likewise, if your case is in Track 3 but the disputes narrow and no longer justify extended procedures, it may be appropriate to ask the court to streamline the case.

An attorney can:

Review your initial track assignment against the real complexity of your case.
File a motion or raise the issue at a hearing to seek reclassification or tailored management.
Make sure discovery and evaluation orders match the level of conflict and risk in your case.

How Rule 100A Interacts with Attorney Fees

Rule 100A itself does not create a new, track‑specific attorney‑fee rule. Utah courts continue to award fees based on existing standards, primarily:

Financial need.
The reasonableness of the requested fees, in light of the work required and the results obtained.

Case complexity—and therefore the amount of work required—is naturally tied to whether a case is a straightforward Track 1 divorce or a complex Track 3 custody fight, and judges often factor that into fee‑reasonableness analysis. But this is a function of longstanding fee law and practical case realities, not a brand‑new 2026 requirement written into Rule 100A.

The takeaway: your track affects how much work a case reasonably requires, and that in turn influences what the court may see as a proportionate fee request, even though the rule does not say “consider track assignment” explicitly.

FAQs

What is Rule 100A in Utah family court?
Rule 100A is a case‑management rule for domestic‑relations cases. After an answer is filed, the court sets a case‑management conference and assigns the case to Track 1 (Standard), Track 2 (Complex Discovery), or Track 3 (Significant Custody Dispute), which guides scheduling, discovery, and use of custody‑related experts.

How do I know which track my case will be assigned to?
Track assignment is based on the complexity of the issues:

Cases without complex discovery or expert witnesses typically go to Track 1.
Cases requiring complex discovery (like business valuations or intricate finances) go to Track 2.
Cases with significant custody disputes, including allegations of child abuse or domestic violence or the need for custody evaluations, go to Track 3.

Can I challenge or change my track assignment?
You can ask the court to adjust case management if the initial track does not fit your situation. Rule 100A allows the court to manage a case differently from the default track for good cause, and parties can raise track concerns in motions or at case‑management hearings.

Does Rule 100A apply to custody modifications?
Yes. Rule 100A applies to “domestic relations actions” as defined in Rule 26.1, which include many modification proceedings, not just initial divorces.

What is a Track 3 case in Utah family court?
Track 3 cases involve significant custody disputes, such as allegations of child abuse or domestic violence, or situations where a custody evaluation or guardian ad litem is needed.

How does track assignment affect attorney fees?
Track assignment does not create a new fee rule, but the complexity associated with each track affects how much attorney work is reasonably necessary. Courts evaluating fee requests continue to look at need and reasonableness, with case complexity as part of that reasonableness analysis.

Does track assignment affect how long my Utah divorce will take?
Yes. Track 1 cases are designed for more efficient resolution. Track 2 and Track 3 cases tend to take longer because of complex discovery, evaluations, and additional hearings required by the issues involved.