DUI and Other Crimes Have a Range of Punishments in Utah When people in Utah are charged with a crime, such as DUI, their main concern is what is the punishment going to be. Punishments for a crime such as DUI can include a fine, jail, prison, community, lose of privileges (such a driver’s license being revoked), probation, and social…
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Criminal Law
Utah’s Habitual Violent Offenders Statute
Repeat Offender in Utah Authorities are looking for a man they believe is connected to the fatal shooting that took place on Saturday in Uintah County. Bruce Silva is suspected of shooting and killing James Edward Carey and wounding Jared Hurley. According to police there was a large group of people at the home where the shooting took place and…
New Bill Affects Utah Sex Offender Registry
Sex Crimes in Utah Sex offenses in Utah happen more often than people imagine. Usually people in Salt Lake, Ogden, Provo, and the rest of the Wasatch Front learn about sexual crimes on the news whenever the crime is extreme or very shocking. Most sex offenses are quietly taken care of though without the public even aware of what happened. …
New Utah Liquor Laws
Over the last couple of years Utah has been changing their liquor laws to be less restrictive. In 2008 and 2009 Gov. Huntsman loosened the laws by getting rid of the membership restriction that required bar patrons to purchase a club membership before entering any bar that served liquor. Starting on July 1, 2011 new liquor laws will take effect…
A Complex Criminal System
Being arrested and/or charged with a crime is obviously a trying time for anyone. In many situations it is a persons first experience with the legal system and not only are they frightened about what could happen but usually very confused about how the courts work and what their options are. Unfortunately, because the courts are constantly striving to be…
Former Utah State Employees Plead Guilty
Teresa Bassett, 59, and Leah Carson, 32, both pleaded guilty Monday in connection with a list of 1,300 supposed illegal immigrants that was released to law enforcement agencies and the public. Both women worked for the Department of Workforce Services when they allegedly compiled the list. Carson entered a guilty plea in connection with a plea agreement, and stated that…
Defendant in Payson Utah Mortensen Murder Pleads Guilty
Today in the Fourth District Court in American Fork Benjamin David Rettig, only 23 years old, plead guilty to the 2009 aggravated kidnapping and aggravated murder of Kay Mortensen of Payson Utah. You may remember this case from the fact that originally Kay Mortensen’s son and daughter-in-law were arrested on the charges and were in jail for five (5) months. …
Tampering With A Witness in Utah
Salt Lake City Criminal Defense When criminal charges have been filed against someone there are typically witnesses on both sides of the charges. The State will have its witnesses and the defense will have its witnesses. In Utah, there is a very strict law against trying to influence a witness to testify in a certain way. Witness tampering is a…
Another Court Rules Against 4th Amendment Protections
4th Amendment Protections Continue to be Eroded The Fourth Amendment has yet again been assaulted and torn down by another court this past week. The Fourth Amendment was passed to protect citizens from the long arm of the state and to ensure police take proper measures without violating citizens’ privacy rights. The US Supreme Court recently expanded the scope of…
Salt Lake Man Won’t Stand Trial For Animal Torture Charge
Utah Prosecutors Must Prove a Criminal Defendant’s Mental State Each time a person is convicted of a crime, the person’s mental state must meet certain requirements. Statutes often use words such as purposefully, intentionally, recklessly, or negligently to describe the mental state required to commit a certain crime. That mental state is referred to in the law as the mens…