Criminal Defense

Evidence vs. art: Can violent rap lyrics be taken as confessions?

There have been many cases over the years involving criminals who almost got away with their crimes but were eventually…

10 years ago

Proving Ineffective Assistance of Counsel in Utah

All Utah defendants are guaranteed the right to effective assistance of counsel under the U.S. Constitution's Sixth Amendment. It is…

10 years ago

When is a Utah criminal sentence excessive?

It is somewhat uncommon for a criminal defendant in Utah to receive the maximum sentence for a crime. Many crimes…

10 years ago

Mandatory Presumptions vs. Permissive Inferences

A jury instruction can violate a defendant's due process rights when it receives prosecutors of their obligation to prove every…

10 years ago

Utah Court: Defendant Prejudiced by Jury Instruction

A Utah appeals court recently overturned the theft conviction of the Utah man, citing an erroneous jury instruction. The defendant…

10 years ago

Utah man’s conviction vacated on competency grounds

Establishing a defendant's competency to stand trial is one of the foundational elements of a valid criminal conviction. It is…

10 years ago

Zoo comparison did not violate a defendant’s rights

Prosecutors have a wide latitude in making closing arguments. Although name calling is not an admirable or officially condoned style…

10 years ago

Court: ‘Red Herring’ comments did not violate a Utah defendant’s rights

A Utah appeals court recently ruled that a prosecutor's characterization of a defense counsel's argument as a "red herring" did…

10 years ago

U.S. Attorney’s office collects $2.3 million in criminal fines

The U.S. Attorney for the District of Utah recently announced that his office collected $2,321,772 in criminal fines last year.…

10 years ago

More facts surfacing in Lisa Steed scandal

More controversial facts and allegations are surfacing in the Lisa Steed scandal. The former Utah Highway Patrol officer is accused…

10 years ago