How to run Settlement Allocator in DocketMath for Utah

Step-by-step

Below is a practical walkthrough for running Settlement Allocator in DocketMath configured for Utah (US-UT). The goal is to allocate a settlement across claims using jurisdiction-aware rules, while keeping your assumptions transparent.

• Select Utah in the Settlement Allocator tool.
• Enter the trigger dates and any caps or rates.
• Run the calculation and save the output.

1) Start the tool from the primary CTA

1. Open DocketMath’s Settlement Allocator here: /tools/settlement-allocator.
2. Confirm you’re in the Utah jurisdiction mode (US-UT) if your interface includes a jurisdiction selector.

2) Enter the basic settlement inputs

Settlement allocation calculations require a few foundational numbers. In DocketMath, you’ll typically provide:

• Total settlement amount: the gross settlement to allocate across components
• Allocation weights or categories: depending on how the tool asks for inputs (for example, damages categories, claim buckets, or similar groupings)
• Timeline inputs: dates the tool uses to determine what falls inside vs. outside the SOL window

If you have known components (such as separate damages categories), enter them so the allocation reflects your settlement structure rather than forcing everything into a single lump sum.

Tip: Keep your categories consistent with how you intend to describe the allocation later (e.g., the same labels you’ll use in your spreadsheet or narrative work).

3) Ensure the SOL rule is set to Utah’s general period

For Utah, this workflow should use the general/default statute of limitations unless you have a specific rule available in your setup.

Utah’s general SOL period is 4 years, under Utah Code § 76-1-302 (Utah Courts source: https://www.utcourts.gov/en/legal-help/legal-help/procedures/statute-limitation.html).

Important note for this guide:
No claim-type-specific sub-rule was identified for Utah in this setup. That means the calculator is applying the general/default 4-year period as the default. In other words, the tool will not automatically swap in a different SOL for particular claim types unless your workflow provides a more specific rule.

4) Add the timeline dates that affect which items fall within the SOL window

Settlement allocations can shift when some alleged conduct or damages may be treated as potentially time-barred. In DocketMath, this usually depends on inputs such as:

• Date of the relevant act/event (sometimes called “incident date” or similar)
• Date suit was filed or another reference date your workflow uses

The tool then compares those dates against Utah’s 4-year general SOL to determine whether components are treated as inside the SOL window or outside it, based on the allocation logic in the calculator.

Gentle caution: This guide explains how to run the tool with Utah’s general/default SOL. It’s not legal advice, and you should still review your particular facts and any applicable claim-specific limitations with qualified counsel where appropriate.

5) Run the allocation and review outputs

Once your inputs are complete, run the calculator. DocketMath will typically produce outputs such as:

• Allocated amounts by category/component
• Percent weights or allocation proportions
• SOL-related flags or adjustments for items treated as time-barred under the tool’s logic
• A summary that ties results back to your entered US-UT ruleset and timeline

How outputs usually change as you edit inputs:

• If you move the event/act date forward so it’s closer to (or within) 4 years of the reference date, allocations tied to that component are more likely to remain fully included rather than reduced/flagged.
• If you change the total settlement amount, category allocations generally scale up or down proportionally (assuming weights/categories remain the same).

Use the output to stress-test assumptions rather than to treat it as a definitive legal determination.

6) Export or capture the allocation details for your workflow

If the interface provides export options (PDF/CSV/share link) or a breakdown table, capture it immediately. Settlement allocation work is often reused in drafting, so preserving the run details helps later.

Also keep a short notes list alongside the exported results, including:

• The event/act date(s) you entered
• The reference date used for the SOL window
• The rule applied: Utah general SOL = 4 years under Utah Code § 76-1-302
• The key “assumption reality check”: that this run uses the general/default period (because no claim-type-specific sub-rule was identified in this setup)

Common pitfalls

Settlement Allocator is most accurate when inputs match your intended allocation theory. The following are the most common ways US-UT runs produce surprises.

• missing a required input
• using a stale rate or rule
• ignoring calendar or holiday adjustments
• skipping documentation of assumptions

Pitfall checklist

Utah-specific pitfalls tied to the general SOL default

Because this setup applies Utah’s general/default 4-year SOL under Utah Code § 76-1-302, the most common surprises relate to time boundaries:

1. Mixed-timeline inputs

   • If your components correspond to multiple event dates, some may fall outside the 4-year window while others fall inside, causing uneven allocation shifts.

2. Single-date oversimplification

   • If you have multiple alleged events but only enter one date, the tool may treat the entire allocation as uniformly in-window or uniformly outside the window—depending on where that single date lands relative to the cutoff.

Pitfall to avoid: treating the SOL cutoff as an absolute legal certainty based solely on tool output. DocketMath models allocation logic from your inputs; it’s still critical to validate the underlying assumptions.

Try it

You can run a complete US-UT allocation in minutes. Start with a quick, controlled test so you can confirm that SOL-related effects are actually showing up the way you expect.

Open the Settlement Allocator calculator and follow the steps above: Run the calculator.

Quick test flow

1. Open /tools/settlement-allocator.
2. Set jurisdiction to Utah (US-UT).
3. Enter a total settlement amount you can sanity-check (e.g., 10,000).
4. Add at least one set of timeline dates so the SOL logic can activate.
5. Run the allocation.

Validate the SOL impact with a controlled change

Now run two versions that are identical except for the event/act date:

• Run A: Use an event date within 4 years of your reference date.
• Run B: Push the event date beyond 4 years (same settlement amount, same categories/weights).

Compare the outputs:

• If the SOL window appears to be working, you should see meaningful changes in allocated amounts or SOL flags associated with the affected components.
• If the outputs don’t change, re-check:

  • whether the tool is receiving the dates you entered,
  • whether Utah’s general SOL period is actually being applied in your run,
  • whether your category mapping ties the dates to specific components in a SOL-sensitive way.

What you should see for Utah (general rule)

Under Utah’s general SOL period of 4 years (Utah Code § 76-1-302), the model should treat components tied to dates older than 4 years as outside the default SOL window for this setup—because no claim-type-specific sub-rule was identified here.

Related reading

• Settlement Allocator Guide for Alabama
• Settlement Allocator Guide for Arizona
• Settlement Allocator Guide for Colorado