Criminal Defense Lawyer in Utah
Utah is perhaps best known as the home of the Great Salt Lake as well as the world headquarters of the Mormon faith. It is also home to a number of national and state parks as well as a number of quality schools such as the University of Utah. The Utah Jazz are a professional basketball team that have rostered a number of all-time great players such as John Stockton and Karl Malone. Although there is a lot to see and do in the state, you should be on your best behavior if you want to avoid seeing the inside of a state jail.
If You’re Targeted By Authorities
In the event that you are targeted by authorities for any reason, you are strongly encouraged to remain silent. Generally speaking, talking to the authorities only increases the risk that you’ll be charged with a crime or that you’re giving the state more information that it can use to obtain a conviction. If you are currently being held in a county or local jail, it’s generally not a good idea to talk to other inmates about your case. This is because they might trade what they know to prosecutors for a better outcome in their own cases.
Remember, you are under no obligation to talk to the authorities for any reason. You cannot be charged with a crime simply for failing to say anything, and you can’t be convicted of an offense simply because you refused to say anything that might undermine your legal position.
Ideally, you’ll hire an attorney to help with your case as soon as you think that you’re in legal jeopardy. Doing so may increase your odds of having charges dropped without incident. It may also minimize the risk that you’ll say or do anything to hurt your case while increasing your chances of getting bail or other favorable rulings before your trial starts.
Put our highly experienced team on your side
Brian J. Kuester
Former U.S. Attorney
Former DA
Amanda Marshall
Former U.S. Attorney
Local Counsel
Joe Brown
Former U.S. Attorney
& Former District Attorney
Local Counsel
John W. Sellers
Former Senior Trial Attorney
U.S. Department of Justice
Local Counsel
Linda Julin McNamara
Former Chief, DOJ Appeals
Local Counsel
Joanne Fine DeLena
Former Assistant U.S. Attorney
Local Counsel
Aaron L. Wiley
Former Federal Prosecutor
Local Counsel
Roger Bach
Former Special Agent (OIG)
Chris Quick
Former Special Agent (FBI & IRS-CI)
Kevin M. Sheridan
Former Special Agent (FBI)
Ray Yuen
Former Supervisory Special Agent (FBI)
Dennis A. Wichern
Former Special Agent-in-Charge (DEA)
What Your Attorney Might Do for You
There are a number of steps that an attorney may take to help you obtain a favorable outcome in your case. For instance, your Utah criminal defense attorney might request documents, hold a deposition or take other steps to obtain evidence that might exonerate you. Your representative might also review statements that you have already made to determine if they were obtained in violation of your Miranda rights.
If there is reason to believe that evidence was obtained during an improper search or seizure, your legal representative might get that evidence suppressed as well. For instance, an officer who finds marijuana in your home during a search that lacked probable cause might be suppressed. The same is true of anything found in a locked car or backpack that authorities lacked probable cause or a warrant to look through.
Finally, your attorney may provide guidance as to what might happen before or during a trial. Knowing what to expect during an arraignment or after you have been released on bail may help keep your emotions in check and minimize your risk of allowing your emotions to result in unforced errors.
Your legal representative may talk more about the pros and cons of taking a plea deal or the potential benefits or downfalls of testifying at trial. Of course, it’s important to know that you can choose to accept a deal, testify at trial or make other decisions whether your attorney agrees with your choices or not.
The Types of Cases We Handle
Our firm will handle almost any type of criminal case that our clients bring to us. For instance, if you are charged with traffic offenses such as drunk or reckless driving, we will likely be able to help you. If you are charged with a violent crime such as robbery, murder, or manslaughter, we will likely be able to create a defense to those charges as well. Finally, we can likely assist on cases involving financial crimes, drug crimes, and crimes involving assault or battery. Let’s take a closer look at some of the most common types of cases our firm sees.
Drunk or Reckless Driving
Drunk driving occurs when you operate a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content of .05% or higher. Drivers under the age of 21 may be charged with DUI if they have a BAC of 0.02% or higher when a chemical test is taken. However, anyone may be charged with DUI if they are under the influence of drugs or if they are showing signs of impairment regardless of their BAC. Reckless driving is more of a catch-all that describes most types of actions taken while operating a motor vehicle that may harm others.
Drug Possession
State law prohibits you from carrying most controlled substances such as LSD, cocaine, or heroin. If you are found in possession of large amounts of a controlled substance, you may be charged with felony possession with intent to distribute. The same may be true if you are found in possession of a pipe, scale, or other items commonly associated with the use or distribution of controlled substances.
Financial Crimes
Failing to file a state tax return may be a criminal offense as might any other attempt to evade paying taxes to the state. Fraud is another type of financial crime that might be prosecuted at the state level. It is worth noting that you may also face federal charges if there is reason to believe that you also lied on a federal tax return or defrauded an entity that does business in multiple states. We may be able to assist you in both cases if you would like us to do so.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are my responsibilities as a client?
Your biggest responsibility as a client is to be open with us as much as possible. The more information you give us, the easier it will likely be to create a defense that meets your needs. In addition, you are obligated to adhere to any other terms included within the contract that you signed after the initial consultation. Failure to do so may lead to being dropped as a client.
What are your responsibilities as a law firm?
Our primary responsibility to you is to be open and transparent throughout the legal process. Furthermore, we are ethically bound to make decisions that are in your best interest. For instance, if you want to seek a plea deal in your case, our job is to make that happen. In the event that you want to take your case to trial, we are bound to do that as well even if your representative doesn’t agree with that. It’s important to know that everything that you say to your attorney is confidential and that whoever we assign to your case has no right to say anything to the press or to other parties without your consent. Generally speaking, this protection extends for the rest of your life.
What if I don't like my Utah criminal defense attorney?
We do our best to choose a representative based on factors such as your location and the type of charges you face. However, as your attorney won’t actually meet you until after the initial consultation, it’s possible that you’ll be paired with someone who you don’t get along with for some reason. If you don’t feel comfortable with our selection, we will do our best to find someone else who you feel more at ease with.
What happens when I appeal a conviction?
If you are convicted of a crime, you have the right to ask an appellate court to review the trial court’s actions. It’s important to understand that the court will not review any new evidence or accept any new testimony. In the event that there is reason to believe that a serious mistake occurred during your trial, it may be remanded back to the trial court. At this point, there is also a chance that the charges against you will be dropped.
What types of defenses might you use in my case?
There are numerous defenses that we might be able to use before and during your trial to help you obtain the best possible outcome in your case. For example, we may be able to claim that your Fourth Amendment rights were violated or that evidence should be thrown out because it was obtained before you were read your Miranda rights. It may also be possible to claim that there was a problem with a chemical test or other tools used by police or by a lab during an investigation.
Contact The Criminal Defense Firm Today
To contact a Utah criminal defense attorney, feel free to call our nationwide intake number right now at 866-603-4540 or reach out online.