Category: Utah Appellate Decisions
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Case Brief: State v. Cooke, 2025 UT 6
The Utah Supreme Court ruled that Monte Cooke can be prosecuted under a repealed criminal statute because Utahโs saving statute allows ongoing prosecutions to continue. The Court clarified that prior…
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State v. Roybal, 2025 UT App 27
Facts: Roybal was convicted of attempted murder, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated assault, and possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person. The conviction stemmed from an altercation with his then-girlfriend,…
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State v Johnson, 2025 UT App 13
In Utah, when a criminal defendant requests a jury instruction for an affirmative defense, the court must give that instruction if evidence has been presented providing any reasonable basis for…
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Case Brief: In Re K.M., 2025 UT App 17
Under Utah law (Utah Code ยง 80-3-409), when reunification services are provided, the court must determine whether the child can be safely returned to the parents
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Case Brief: State v Flores, 2025 UT App 15
The prison mailbox rule is for cases where a document actually reaches the court directly through the prison mail system.
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Case Brief: State v Taylor, 2025 UT App 14
Deference is usually given to trial judges but excusing a potential juror is a simple solution when there is concern of improper bias.
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Case Brief: State v Schaefer, 2025 UT App 4
This appeal pertains to whether a suspectโs admission at a police station should have been suppressed due to being made during a custodial interrogation without Miranda warnings being followed. Facts…
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Case Brief: State v. Johnson, 2025 UT App 13
In a significant decision for Utahโs self-defense jurisprudence, the Utah Court of Appeals reversed the murder conviction of Daniel Lee Johnson in State v. Johnson, 2025 UT App 13, citing…
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In re Estate of Goldberg, 2024 UT 15
This appeal pertains to an interpretation of rule 1.9(a) of the Utah Rules of Professional Conduct, which states, โA lawyer who has formerly represented a client in a matter shall…
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State v Kufrin, 2024 UT App 86
Facts In 2021, Michael Kufrin was convicted of having murdered his girlfriend Peggy in 1988. The facts leading to the eventual discovery of Peggyโs murder, Kufrinโs conviction, and the current…
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State v Tran, 2024 UT 7
Facts In September, 2015 a grandmother did not arrive to pick up her eight-year old grandson from school despite previously always arriving on time to pick up the child. The…
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State v Begay, 2024 UT App 63
In 2021, Defendant faced charges for offenses allegedly committed in the 1990s. The Utah Court of Appeals dismissed the case due to statute of limitations issues, shedding light on what…
