Court Issues Decorum Order In Suit Filed By Salt Lake City Against Inland Port Authority

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A District Court judge on Monday is heard arguments in a lawsuit that Salt Lake City filed against the Utah Inland Port Authority.

He said he’d announce his decision on the matter at a later date.

The suit was filed in March and argues that legislation passed by the state usurps the city’s land use and taxing authority and violates the Equal Protection Clause by disproportionately taxing Salt Lake City residents, according to a report from KSL.com.

Mayor Jackie Biskupski in September asked the court to make a decision on the grounds that the state had not disputed the material facts in the city’s lawsuit.

Meetings concerning the Inland Port have been fraught with controversy and often disrupted by protesters who are against the project. In anticipation of any interruptions, the Third District Court issued a decorum order for Monday’s proceedings.

UPDATE: Per the decorum order for the Inland Port hearing, spectators must remain seated the entire time (until a recess). There are people standing in the vestibule that are not allowed to enter the courtroom @KSL5TV @KSLcom @kslnewsradio pic.twitter.com/FeXLwJcMea

— Ladd Egan (@laddegan) November 18, 2019

“The court anticipates that hearings and other proceedings in this case may generate substantial public interest,” according to the decorum order. “To protect the rights of the parties, ensure the right to public access to the proceedings, and to protect participants from unnecessary commotion, confusion, or influence, the following rules of conduct will govern proceedings in this case to ensure the decorum of the court throughout the proceedings.”

According to those rules, people observing the proceedings must keep quiet.

“Audible comments of any kind by any spectator during the proceedings, and provocative or uncivil behavior within the courthouse at any time, will not be tolerated,” the decorum order states.

Anyone who violates the orders can face exclusion from the courtroom and face contempt of court sanctions, which can include confinement in jail for up to 30 days and/or a fine of up to $1,000.

STARTING NOW: District Court Judge hears arguments in the lawsuit that SLC filed against the Utah Inland Port Authority.

There is enhanced security and a strict decorum order in place against “audible comments” @KSL5TV @kslnewsradio @KSLcom MORE INFO: https://t.co/r8LsABgUC7 pic.twitter.com/1pZ7gFXKOu

— Ladd Egan (@laddegan) November 18, 2019