Criminal Law
What to expect after an arrest, how the criminal process works, and the difference between the charges you might be facing.
Driving on a Suspended or Revoked License in Utah: Charges, Penalties, and How to Get Reinstated
Driving while your Utah license is suspended is a class C misdemeanor, or a class B misdemeanor if the suspension was for DUI-related reasons, with a minimum fine.
Reckless Driving in Utah: What Counts, Penalties, and Common Defenses
Utah reckless driving is a class B misdemeanor for willful or wanton disregard for safety, including 105 mph or more or three traffic violations within three miles.
Refusing a Breath or Blood Test in Utah: Implied Consent, the 18-Month Revocation, and Your Options
Driving in Utah means you consent to chemical tests; refusing after an arrest can lead to an 18-month license revocation, and an officer decides which test you must take.
Juab County Criminal Cases: Nephi Courts, Jail, and Court-Appointed Lawyers
In Juab County, criminal cases are heard in the Nephi Justice Court or the Fourth District Court in Nephi, and a judge can appoint a lawyer if you can't afford one.
Utah Burglary and Criminal Trespass Charges: What the Statutes Say and How the Degrees Work
Utah burglary is entering or remaining unlawfully in a building with intent to commit a felony, theft, or assault and is a third-degree felony, or second-degree if in a dwelling; criminal trespass is a misdemeanor.
What Happens to Your Utah License After a DUI Arrest: The 10-Day Hearing Deadline
After a Utah DUI arrest the Driver License Division will suspend your license for 120 days unless you request a hearing within 10 days; the suspension is separate from the criminal case.
Utah Juvenile Court for Parents: Arrest, Detention, Referral, and Nonjudicial Adjustment
When a Utah minor is taken into custody the referral to juvenile court must be filed within 10 days (24 hours if detained), and many misdemeanor cases are offered a nonjudicial adjustment instead of a court case.
Utah Assault and Aggravated Assault Charges: Misdemeanor vs. Felony, Penalties, and Defenses
Utah assault is a class B misdemeanor (class A with substantial injury or a pregnant victim), and aggravated assault with a weapon, vehicle, or strangulation is a third, second, or first degree felony.
Utah County Criminal Cases: Courts, Jail, Bail, and Public Defenders
If you or a relative is arrested in Utah County, the jail is in Spanish Fork, cases go to a justice court or the Fourth District Court, and a judge decides whether you get a court-appointed lawyer.
Utah DUI Penalties: First, Second, and Third Offense, the .05 Limit, Jail, and Fines
Utah's DUI limit is .05, a first offense is a class B misdemeanor with at least two days in jail or 48 hours of community service and a fine of at least $700, and repeat offenses escalate to class A and felony charges.
Utah Police Body Camera Footage: What Officers Must Record and How to Request the Video
Utah officers must activate body cameras before encounters and record without interruption, and you can ask the agency for the footage through a GRAMA request, with special release rules after serious injuries or shootings.
Police Stops, Questions, and Searches in Utah: What the Statutes Say
In Utah an officer may stop you in a public place on reasonable suspicion and demand your name, address, and birth date, and a search warrant entry has statutory limits, including no no-knock warrants solely for drugs.
Utah Speeding Ticket Fines, Points, and Your Options (2026)
Utah's 2026 fine schedule suggests $130 for 1–10 mph over up to $480 for 31+, plus a 35% surcharge. Here are the fines, points, and ways to pay, contest, or keep points off your record.
What to Do If There's a Warrant for Your Arrest in Utah
Utah arrest warrants don't expire — they stay active indefinitely until you're arrested, the judge recalls it, or the court vacates it. There's no statute of limitations that makes an old warrant simply go away on its own.
Utah Theft and Shoplifting Charges: Penalties by Value and the Store's Civil Claim
Utah theft is graded mostly by value: under $500 is a class B misdemeanor, $500 to $1,500 a class A misdemeanor, $1,500 to $5,000 a third-degree felony, and $5,000 or more a second-degree felony; stores can also sue for a civil penalty.
Domestic Violence Charges in Utah: The Criminal Side (Not the Civil Protective Order)
A protective order and a domestic violence criminal charge are two entirely separate legal tracks — one civil, one criminal — and Utah's mandatory-arrest rule can put someone in the criminal track before they've even considered the civil one.
Utah Drug Possession Charges: Penalties by Substance, Priors, and Location
Under Utah's current drug statute, possessing most controlled substances is a class B misdemeanor, Schedule I or II drugs (not marijuana) a class A misdemeanor, and repeat convictions within seven years can become third degree felonies.
How Utah Sentencing Actually Works
Utah uses indeterminate sentencing — a judge sets a range, like 1 to 15 years, and the Board of Pardons and Parole (not the judge) later decides the actual release date within that range.
Utah Diversion Agreements: How They Work
A diversion agreement is rarer and more favorable than a plea in abeyance — with diversion, no charges are ever filed with the court at all, and you never have to plead guilty to anything.
Plea Bargains in Utah: How They Work
Utah has a distinctive plea option most states don't offer the same way — a 'plea in abeyance,' where a guilty plea is held for up to 18 months (misdemeanor) or three years (felony) and can be thrown out entirely if you complete the terms.
Criminal Appeals in Utah: The Basics
The deadline to appeal a Utah criminal conviction is jurisdictional — miss it by even a day, and the Court of Appeals loses the power to hear your case no matter how strong your argument is.
Utah Preliminary Hearings Explained
Utah applies a notably liberal preliminary hearing standard — the judge views evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution and may disregard only evidence that is wholly lacking or speculative.
Utah DUI Process: From Arrest to Resolution
A Utah DUI arrest triggers two separate processes at once — a criminal case, and a 10-day deadline to request a hearing to protect your driver's license.
Utah Traffic Tickets and the Points System: Points Per Violation
Utah's Driver License Division tracks demerit points for traffic violations — accumulate enough within 3 years, and your license faces suspension. Here's how the numbers work, and how to bring them back down.
Public Defender Eligibility in Utah
If you can't afford a private criminal defense attorney in Utah, you're generally entitled to a public defender — here's how the indigency determination actually works.
Utah Probation Violations: What Happens Next
A probation violation hearing isn't a new trial — no jury, relaxed evidence rules, and a lower burden of proof than the original case required.
What Happens During a Utah Arraignment
What a Utah arraignment actually covers — the charges, your right to counsel, entering a plea, and release status — and why having a lawyer there matters.
Utah Bail and Pretrial Release: How It Works
Utah's pretrial release system, the 24-hour rule that can require automatic release, and how own recognizance differs from posting bail.
Misdemeanor vs. Felony: What's the Difference in Utah?
Utah has seven distinct offense tiers, not just 'misdemeanor' and 'felony' — from a fine-only infraction up to a first-degree felony carrying 5 years to life, each with its own maximum penalty set by statute.
Understanding Your Miranda Rights in Utah
Utah gives minors a real, distinct protection adults don't get: a child generally can't be interrogated without a parent, guardian, or 'friendly adult' present — and one held in a detention facility needs an actual attorney present, not just any adult.
What Happens After You're Arrested in Utah: The Criminal Process Explained
Utah gives police 24 hours after booking to get a probable cause finding in front of a magistrate — miss that window, and the law requires releasing you on your own recognizance.