When a party who files a lawsuit unreasonably delays moving the lawsuit toward a resolution (delays prosecution of the case), it is presumed the case has been abandoned, and the court may dismiss the lawsuit for want of prosecution. Such a dismissal for want of prosecution is commonly referred to as a DWOP. A party may ask the court to dismiss a case for want of prosecution, or the judge may do so without a request from a party (sua sponte).
In Utah, if a party who has filed a lawsuit fails to actively pursue the case, it may be presumed that the case has been abandoned. This can lead to the court dismissing the case for want of prosecution, often abbreviated as DWOP. Either a party involved in the lawsuit can request the court to dismiss the case on these grounds, or the court may decide to do so on its own initiative, which is known as a sua sponte dismissal. The Utah Rules of Civil Procedure provide guidance on the circumstances under which a court may dismiss a case for lack of prosecution, including specific time frames and notice requirements that must be met before such a dismissal is granted.