--- title: "F. Richards Smith III | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/f-richards-smith-iii-juvenile-court-judge-utah-fourth-district-juvenile-court-ut" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-08-02" --- # F. Richards Smith III Utah Fourth District Juvenile Court · Juvenile Court Judge ## Profile - Court: Utah Fourth District Juvenile Court - State: Utah - Role: Juvenile Court Judge - Service status: active - Last verified: 2026-07-26 ## Summary Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge. ## Biography ### Professional career - Appointed juvenile court judge for Utah’s Fourth District, serving since November 2012, with a background in child welfare law and legal advocacy - He later became Director of the Utah Office of Guardian ad Litem and Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) ### Education - in Psychology — University of Utah — B.A. ### Additional information - Judge Smith presides over cases in the Fourth District Juvenile Court in Utah, a role he has held since his appointment by Governor Gary R. Herbert on November 7, 2012. - Judge Smith was retained in the 2016 Utah judicial retention election with 83.06% of the vote. - Child Advocate of the Year — Utah County Abuse Council, 2004 - Board certified as a Child Welfare Law Specialist (CWLS) by the National Association of Counsel for Children. - He also conducts two specialty courts in Utah County: Juvenile Recovery Court and Juvenile Behavioral Health Court. - J.D. — J. Reuben Clark Law School, Brigham Young University Before joining the bench, Smith worked in civil litigation, held the role of in-house general counsel, and as a Guardian ad Litem Attorney. ## Before you appear - Read the judge-specific standing order first when one is listed. - Check the docket and case orders for requirements that supersede broader guidance. - Confirm current remote-access and courtroom technology arrangements before the proceeding. ## Courtroom Rules ### electronic media coverage Scope: statewide Utah permits electronic media coverage of public proceedings under statewide UCJA procedures, including proceedings conducted by remote transmission. Evidence excerpt: This rule governs electronic media coverage of proceedings that are open to the public, including proceedings conducted by remote transmission. [UCJA Rule 4-401.01 Electronic media coverage of court proceedings](https://legacy.utcourts.gov/rules/view.php?type=ucja&rule=4-401.01) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ### media request process Scope: statewide Utah requires requests for electronic media coverage to be made through the court's public information office. Evidence excerpt: All requests to provide electronic media coverage shall be made to the court’s public information office. [UCJA Rule 4-401.01 Electronic media coverage of court proceedings](https://legacy.utcourts.gov/rules/view.php?type=ucja&rule=4-401.01) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ### portable electronic devices Scope: statewide Utah permits possession and use of portable electronic devices in courthouses unless limited by UCJA Rule 4-401.02 or by directive of the judge. Evidence excerpt: A person may possess and use a portable electronic device anywhere in a courthouse, except as limited by this rule or directive of the judge. [UCJA Rule 4-401.02 Possession and use of portable electronic devices](https://legacy.utcourts.gov/rules/view.php?type=ucja&rule=4-401.02) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ### recording photography transmission Scope: statewide Utah prohibits recording, photographing, or transmitting images or sound of court proceedings with portable electronic devices unless allowed under the electronic-media rule or another stated exception. Evidence excerpt: A person may not use a portable electronic device to record, photograph, or transmit images or sound of court proceedings, except in accordance with rule 4-401.01 or subsection (2)(D) above. [UCJA Rule 4-401.02 Possession and use of portable electronic devices](https://legacy.utcourts.gov/rules/view.php?type=ucja&rule=4-401.02) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ## Sources - [Official profile](https://www.utcourts.gov/en/courts/other-court-info/judges-bios/juvenile-courts/fourth-district-juvenile-court/f-richards-smith.html) - [Official roster](https://www.utcourts.gov/en/courts/other-court-info/judges-bios/juvenile-courts/fourth-district-juvenile-court/f-richards-smith.html) - [Utah State Courts official judicial roster](https://www.utcourts.gov/en/courts/other-court-info/judges-bios/juvenile-courts/fourth-district-juvenile-court/f-richards-smith.html) - [UCJA Rule 4-401.01 Electronic media coverage of court proceedings](https://legacy.utcourts.gov/rules/view.php?type=ucja&rule=4-401.01) - [UCJA Rule 4-401.02 Possession and use of portable electronic devices](https://legacy.utcourts.gov/rules/view.php?type=ucja&rule=4-401.02) - [JUDGE F. RICHARDS SMITH III - Juvenile Courts](https://www.utcourts.gov/en/courts/other-court-info/judges-bios/juvenile-courts/fourth-district-juvenile-court/f-richards-smith.html) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/f-richards-smith-iii-juvenile-court-judge-utah-fourth-district-juvenile-court-ut", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/f-richards-smith-iii-juvenile-court-judge-utah-fourth-district-juvenile-court-ut", "name": "F. Richards Smith III | KnowJudges", "description": "F. Richards Smith III, Utah Fourth District Juvenile Court. 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Richards Smith III", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/f-richards-smith-iii-juvenile-court-judge-utah-fourth-district-juvenile-court-ut" } ] } ] } ``` ## Published courtroom rules ### Shared court rules - [UCJA Rule 4-401.01 Electronic media coverage of court proceedings](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-66e618d152d2df53d660e797) — Scope is limited to the court class in the source claim. Shared court context only; case-type restrictions, exceptions, later amendments and case orders apply. This is not a personal preference or a complete rules inventory. [Official source](https://legacy.utcourts.gov/rules/view.php?type=ucja&rule=4-401.01). Collected 2026-07-26. - [UCJA Rule 4-401.02 Possession and use of portable electronic devices](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-5b4e5d61b330f356e2af7caf) — Scope is limited to the court class in the source claim. Shared court context only; case-type restrictions, exceptions, later amendments and case orders apply. This is not a personal preference or a complete rules inventory. [Official source](https://legacy.utcourts.gov/rules/view.php?type=ucja&rule=4-401.02). Collected 2026-07-26.