Category: Criminal Defense
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Can You Sleep Drunk in Your Car?
“If you get too drunk just sleep out in your car.” – Toby Keith, “I Love This Bar” Obviously, Toby Keith wasn’t from Utah. Does Utah Law Allow You to…
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Online Sting Operations and Enticing a Minor Charges in Utah
How Online Sting Operations Usually Work In Utah, law enforcement sometimes uses online sting operations to investigate crimes involving minors. Officers are trained to create undercover profiles on dating apps…
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State v. Dutton, 2025 UT App139
A Real Life Example Involving Probable Cause Facts of the Case In July 2020, a bank employee in Kanab, Utah, called 911 to report a customer exhibiting concerning behavior. The…
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State v. Qayum, 2025 UT App 178
The Utah Court of Appeals has affirmed a conviction for enticing a minor in State v. Qayum, a case that arose from an online sting operation. In doing so, the…
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Expungements and Reductions on the Cheap?
Good results aren’t cheap, and cheap results aren’t always good. Here’s what that means for your expungement.
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When “Free-Range Parenting” Meets Utah’s New Child-Torture Law
In 2018, Utah became the first state in the country to formally embrace “free-range parenting.” Lawmakers said parents should be able to let their children walk to school, play outside,…
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The Complete Guide to Utah’s Child Torture Law
Utah’s new child-torture law is one of the most powerful and punitive criminal statutes in the state. It reshaped the way prosecutors charge child-injury cases and created a new category…
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Utah’s New Child Torture Law
In 2025, Utah created a new criminal offense called child torture under Utah Code 76-5-109.4. The law targets the most extreme abuse cases involving cruelty, prolonged harm, or a pattern…
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Faith in the Attorney-Client Relationship
A few years ago, an old friend from junior high reached out after more than twenty-five years. When I told him I was a criminal defense attorney, he said, “That’s…
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Criminal Appeals in Utah, 101
If you are unhappy with the outcome of your criminal case, you might consider appealing it to a higher court. Appeals can be costly and slow, so it helps to…
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Object Rape – Understanding Utah Law, Utah Code §76-5-402.2
Utah Code §76‑5-402.2 outlines the laws regarding “object rape”. Here’s a clear overview of what “object rape” means and potential legal consequences:
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How Much is a Clean Criminal Record Worth?
Utah believes in second chances. The state offers several paths to clean up a criminal record, including pardons, expungements, 402 reductions, and other opportunities for a fresh start.