The Sixth Amendment of the U.S. constitution guarantees individuals the right to effective assistance of counsel. Ineffective assistance of counsel is one of the most common bases for Utah criminal conviction appeals, but also one of the most difficult appeals to win. To succeed in an ineffective assistance of counsel claim, a Utah defendant has …
Ineffective Assistance of Counsel Appeals in Utah Read More »
Authorities have charged a 33-year-old Sandy man for allegedly running and underground bar out of his garage. The Salt Lake Tribune reports that the man was charged with running a business without a license, which is class B misdemeanor that carries up to six month in jail. The man also faces a potential fine of …
Sandy resident charged with running underground bar Read More »
A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City recently charged a West Valley City couple with smuggling Peruvian artifacts into the country. The couple allegedly worked with two individuals from Trujillo, Peru, to bring artifacts into the country for sale. Undercover agents allegedly made contact with the couple last fall and purchased multiple artifacts for …
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Technology has given teens in Utah and around the country unprecedented freedom, but technological innovations also mean that formerly harmless juvenile crimes can now land teens in serious trouble. One new high-tech twist on prank calling is called “swatting.” These prank calls are placed when hackers, usually teens, place false emergency calls of serious crimes …
Juvenile arrested for ‘swatting’ prank call crimes Read More »
The United States incarcerates criminal offenders faster than any other country-so fast that prison capacity is an ongoing problem. As part of Salt Lake County’s push to improve its criminal justice system, officials are considering a big alternative to prison sentences. Not every criminal defendant belongs in prison and Salt Lake City hopes that a …
Salt Lake County explores alternatives to prison for some cases Read More »
The University of Utah in Salt Lake City released a new study last week, concluding that judges impose lower sentences when the defendant presents a biological explanation of a mental disorder. The national study could have implications for criminal defense strategies. Researchers asked over 180 judges from 19 states about a hypothetical case based on …
New study’s findings on judges and mental disorder sentences Read More »
Being arrested for even a misdemeanor crime can hurt your career years later. That is why it is important to consult with an experienced criminal defense attorney to handle your case. Attorneys may be able to reduce or eliminate serious criminal charges by filing a motion or petition to reduce charges. These motions can help …
Woman Fired For 40-Year-Old Misdemeanor Conviction Read More »
A judge recently determined that a 29-year-old Utah man is still incompetent to stand trial for the 2009 shooting deaths of his parents. The man faces first-degree felony aggravated murder charges for killing his parents in October of 2009, but three mental health evaluations in 2010 revealed that the man was not competent to stand …
Often, very emotional people come into our office, and say something like this: “I pled guilty to a crime a couple weeks ago, but I have since changed my mind! Can you help me? I think I made a horrible mistake!” At Greg Smith and Associates, we are well trained in how to withdraw a …
A 31-year-old Kearns woman faces burglary charges after allegedly breaking into her ex-boyfriend’s garage and damaging his car. The man allegedly failed to respond to the woman’s text messages so she went to his home and knocked on his front door. When no one answered, the woman allegedly broke into the garage and caused $5,000 …
Kearns woman charged with burglary after damaging ex’s car Read More »