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Utah County
Piute County, Utah
Junction's Sevier River valley and Otter Creek Reservoir - from Piute County's remote Sevier River ranching heritage (Piute County is one of the smallest counties by population in Utah - its Sevier River valley communities have sustained cattle ranching and small-scale farming since Mormon pioneer settlement in the 1860s, and the remote high-elevation landscape between the Tushar Mountains and the Paunsaugunt Plateau preserves a traditional Utah ranching character that has changed little in 150 years) and Otter Creek Reservoir (the popular fishing and camping lake that provides the county's most significant recreation economy).
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Office: Piute County Emergency Management – (435) 577-2840 (via County Commission)
Alert System: NOAA Weather Radio
FEMA Region: Region 8
Notes: One of the least populous counties accessible anywhere in Utah; South-Central Utah mountain county; winter storm and wildfire risk; Junction is the county seat
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: US-89, the primary highway through the county
Transit: No fixed-route transit; extremely rural
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Piute County Building/Permit Office – (435) 577-2840
Office: Piute County Veterans Service Office (shared/regional arrangement likely)
State VSO: Utah Office of Veterans and Military Affairs – veterans.utah.gov
VA Medical: George E. Wahlen VA Medical Center, Salt Lake City (accessible north, though distant)
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Piute County Library, Junction
Services: Books; public computers; Wi-Fi
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Piute State Park and Otter Creek State Park, both significant regional reservoirs for fishing, drawing anglers given their reputation for trophy trout; Fishlake National Forest, accessible within the county
Notes: Piute State Park and Otter Creek State Park’s reputation for excellent trout fishing gives this tiny county a meaningful outdoor recreation draw relative to its minimal population
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Piute County GIS (confirm URL)
Parcel Search: Piute County Assessor site
Addressing/911: Piute County 911 Addressing – via County Commission
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Shelter: No dedicated county animal shelter; handled via Sheriff’s Office as needed
Notes: Population too small to support standalone shelter infrastructure
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Landfill/Transfer: Piute County Transfer Station – contact County Commission for hours/location
Notes: Reservoir water quality management and ranching are the county’s primary environmental considerations
NOTES
Piute County is one of the least populous counties accessible anywhere in Utah, its identity centered on Piute and Otter Creek reservoirs, both known regionally for trophy trout fishing. Junction remains the sole hub for county government given the county’s minimal population base.
About Piute County
Piute County is one of Utah’s most remote and least populated – the Sevier River valley’s traditional cattle ranching communities have sustained a way of life little changed since Mormon pioneer settlement in the 1860s, and Otter Creek Reservoir provides the county’s primary recreation economy in the high terrain between the Tushar Mountains and Paunsaugunt Plateau.
Junction (the county seat, population ~160) is one of Utah’s smallest county seats, serving Piute County’s ranching communities in the south-central Utah highlands.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Piute County Assessor at 550 N. Main Street, Junction, UT 84740, phone 435-577-2840. UT primary residential 45% exemption applies.
Courts & Legal
Piute County District Court at 550 N. Main Street, Junction, UT 84740, phone 435-577-2840, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK/AUDITOR
550 North Main St, Junction, UT 84740
(435) 577-2840
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Sixth District Court / Piute County Clerk, Junction (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Local societies
No dedicated Piute County genealogical society was confirmed in available directories.
Probate & Estate
Losing someone and having to deal with courts and paperwork at the same time is hard. This section won’t make that easier, but it should tell you what to expect, what it costs, and where to go – so at least you’re not walking in blind.
Where to go
Sixth District Court, Piute County 550 North Main Street, PO Box 99, Junction, UT 84740 (435) 577-2840
Piute County is in South Central Utah, seated in Junction – one of Utah’s least populous counties. Utah has NO separate probate court – probate is handled by the District Court. Piute County is part of the Sixth Judicial District (Sanpete, Sevier, Piute, Wayne, Garfield, Kane), seated in Richfield.
Step 1: figure out which path applies
Utah has adopted the Uniform Probate Code (Title 75, Utah Uniform Probate Code) in full – one of about 16 states to do so. This makes Utah’s probate process comparatively streamlined.
Small Estate Affidavit (Utah Code § 75-3-1201) – available when the total estate value (minus liens and encumbrances) is $100,000 or less AND the estate includes NO real property. At least 30 days must have passed since death. This is a true affidavit process – it is NOT filed with the court. The successor fills it out, signs it before a notary, and presents it directly to whoever holds the property (a bank, brokerage, employer, etc.), which is then legally obligated to release the asset. A separate, similar affidavit can transfer title to up to four boats, motor vehicles, trailers, or semi-trailers directly through the Utah Division of Motor Vehicles.
Informal Probate – the most common track in Utah under the UPC. Minimal court involvement; a probate registrar (not a judge) reviews the application and appoints the personal representative administratively when there’s no dispute.
Unsupervised Formal Probate – involves a judge and a court hearing to resolve a specific question (such as confirming a will’s validity) but otherwise proceeds with the same independence as informal probate afterward.
Supervised Formal Administration – full ongoing court supervision, reserved for contested, complex, or high-conflict estates.
Step 2: filing for administration
The personal representative (or an interested party) files an Application for Informal Probate and Appointment of Personal Representative with the Sixth District Court.
The original will (if one exists) and a certified death certificate are submitted with the application.
The court registrar reviews the application; if in order, Letters Testamentary (with a will) or Letters of Administration (without one) are issued – often without a hearing.
The personal representative provides notice to creditors and known heirs, and inventories the estate’s assets.
The personal representative pays valid debts, expenses, and taxes from the estate.
Remaining assets are distributed to beneficiaries or heirs, and the estate is closed.
What it costs
District court filing fee: $375 statewide (confirm current fee for Piute County directly, as fees can be adjusted).
Utah has NO statutory fee schedule for attorneys or personal representatives – fees must be “reasonable” based on time spent, complexity of the estate, and its value.
Small estate affidavit proceedings cost far less since no court filing is required at all – mainly notary and any professional assistance fees.
Utah does NOT impose a state estate tax or inheritance tax. Only the federal estate tax may apply, and only to very large estates.
Probate filings, estate administration, and guardianship matters are handled by the following office(s):
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
550 North Main St, Junction, UT 84740
(435) 577-2893
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS
550 North Main St, Junction, UT 84740
(435) 577-2840
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Health Department
550 North Main St, Junction, UT 84740
(435) 577-2949
DWS Office
550 North Main St, Junction, UT 84740
(435) 577-2840
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Central Utah Public Health Department (regional district) – (435) 896-5451
Services: Immunizations; WIC at a regional site; environmental health
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