Intent:
To establish uniform procedures for the processing, tracking, and reporting of accounts receivable and trust accounts.
Applicability:
This rule applies to the judiciary.
Statement of the Rule:
(1) Manual of procedures. (1)(A)Manual of Procedures. The administrative office shall develop a manual of procedures (Accounting Manual") to govern accounts receivable, accounts payable, trust accounts, the audit thereof, and the audit of administrative procedures generally. The procedures shall be in conformity with generally accepted principles of budgeting and accounting and shall, at a minimum, conform to the requirements of this Code and state law. Unless otherwise directed by the Judicial Council, the Accounting Manual and amendments to it shall be approved by the majority vote of the Budget and Fiscal Management Committee ("BFMC") following the procedures in (1)(D).(1)(B)Accounting Manual Review Committee. There is established an accounting manual review committee responsible for making and reviewing proposals for repealing accounting policies and procedures and proposals for promulgating new and amended accounting policies and procedures. The committee shall consist of the following minimum membership: (1)(B)(i) the director of the AOC finance department, who shall serve as chair and shall vote only in the event of a tie; (1)(B)(ii) four support services coordinators who will serve a three year term, and may repeat; (1)(B)(iii) two accountants or clerks with accounting responsibilities from each of the trial courts of record who will serve a three year term, and may repeat;(1)(B)(iv) a trial court executive who will serve a three year term; (1)(B)(v) a clerk of court who will serve a three year term; (1)(B)(vi) a clerk with accounting responsibilities from an appellate court who will serve a three year term, and may repeat; (1)(B)(vii) the audit director or designee, who shall not vote; and (1)(B)(viii) the director of the state division of finance or designee, who shall not vote.(1)(C)Member Appointments. Unless designated by office, members of the committee shall be appointed by the state court administrator, or designee. The AOC department of finance shall provide necessary support to the committee. (1)(D)Trial Court Executives and Clerks of Court Review. New and amended policies and procedures recommended by the majority vote of the accounting manual review committee shall be reviewed and approved by the trial court executives and clerks of court of all courts of record. The trial court executives and clerks of court may endorse or amend the draft policies and procedures or return the draft policies and procedures to the committee for further consideration. Once approved by the trial court executives and court clerks, prior to being the new and 61 amended policies and procedures will be submitted to the BFMC for approval as noted in (1)(A).
(2) Revenue accounts. (2)(A) Deposits; transfers; withdrawals. All courts shall deposit with a depository determined qualified by the administrative office or make deposits directly with the Utah State Treasurer or the treasurer of the appropriate local government entity. The Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, State Law Library, administrative office, district court primary locations and juvenile courts shall deposit daily, whenever practicable, but not less than once every three days. The deposit shall consist of all court collections of state money. District court contract sites and justice courts having funds due to the state or any political subdivision of the state shall, on or before the 10th day of each month, deposit all funds receipted by them in the preceding month in a qualified depository with the appropriate public treasurer. The courts shall make no withdrawals from depository accounts. (2)(B) Periodic revenue report. Under the supervision of the court executive, the clerk of the court shall prepare and submit a revenue report that identifies the amount and source of the funds received during the reporting period and the state or local government entity entitled to the funds. Juvenile courts and primary locations of the district courts shall submit the report weekly to the administrative office. District court contract sites shall submit the report at least monthly, together with a check for the state portion of revenue, to the administrative office. Justice courts shall submit the report monthly, together with a check for the state revenue collected, to the Utah State Treasurer. (2)(C) Monthly reconciliation of bank statement. The administrative office shall reconcile the revenue account upon receipt of the weekly revenue report from the courts and the monthly bank statements. (3) Trust accounts. (3)(A) Definition. Trust accounts are accounts established by the courts for the benefit of third parties. Examples of funds which are held in trust accounts include restitution, attorney fees, and monetary bail amounts. (3)(B) Accounts required; duties of a fiduciary. District court primary locations and juvenile courts shall maintain a trust account in which to deposit monies held in trust for the benefit of the trustor or some other beneficiary. Under supervision of the court executive, the clerk of the court shall be the custodian of the account and shall have the duties of a trustee as established by law. All other courts of record and not of record may maintain a trust account in accordance with the provisions of this rule. (3)(C) Monthly reconciliation of bank statement. Each court shall reconcile its ledgers upon receipt of the monthly bank statement and submit the reconciliation to the administrative office. (3)(D) Accounting to trustor. The courts shall establish a method of accounting that will trace the debits and credits attributable to each trustor. (3)(E) Monetary Bail forfeitures; other withdrawals. Transfers from trust accounts to a revenue account may be made upon an order of forfeiture of monetary bail or other order of the court. Other withdrawals from trust accounts shall be made upon the order of the court after a finding of entitlement. (3)(F) Interest bearing. All trust accounts shall be interest bearing. The disposition of interest shall be governed by Rule 4-301. (4) Compliance. The administrative office and the courts shall comply with state law and the Accounting Manual.Utah Code Jud. Admin. 3-407
Amended June 28, 2018, effective 11/1/2018; amended October 27, 2020, effective 11/1/2020; amended March 11, 2022, effective 3/11/2022.