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House adopts compromise raising small-claims limit to $10,000 and adjusts filing fees
Summary
The House accepted an amendment to Second Substitute Senate Bill 176 that raises the small-claims jurisdiction to $10,000 (a compromise between $7,500 and the Senate's $12,500 proposal) and adjusts filing fees; the measure passed the House 69'yes, 5'no.
The Utah House adopted Amendment No. 8 to Second Substitute Senate Bill 176 on March 11, a negotiated compromise that raises the small-claims jurisdictional limit to $10,000 and adjusts initial filing fees across claim tiers. Representative Falk, who moved the amendment, described the package as the result of negotiations among the sponsors, municipalities, insurers and the League of Cities, balancing court access and operational funding needs.
Under the agreed changes, filing fees for initial claims and counterclaims were adjusted (floor discussion cited increases for various claim tiers, including an initial claim fee increase in specified bands), and the jurisdictional cap was set at $10,000 to reach a middle ground between prior law and a higher Senate proposal. Proponents argued the compromise preserves court access while giving courts enough resources to avoid staff reductions; opponents urged caution at raising certain limits too quickly.
Representative Dean, the House sponsor, called the amendment 'friendly' and urged members to support the compromise. The House voted to pass the bill as amended, 69 yes to 5 no; the bill will be returned to the Senate for further consideration.
