CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS Una versión en español se puede encontrar aquí. A person accused of a crime enjoys a number of basic constitutional rights. The most common of these, in the context of criminal matters, are set forth below. Counsel: You have the right to be represented by an attorney. If…

Guilty Verdict  Consequences: The consequences of being found guilty at trial—or pleading guilty—can be severe including incarceration, fines, and other sanctions. In Utah, these consequences vary according to the degree of the crime. Felonies are much more serious than misdemeanors or infractions. When reviewing these consequences, keep in mind that…

¿Cuáles son mis Derechos Constitucionales? Una persona acusada de un delito disfruta de una serie de derechos constitucionales básicos. Los más comunes de éstos, en el contexto de los asuntos penales, se exponen a continuación.   Abogado:  Tiene derecho a ser representado por un abogado. Si no puede pagar un abogado,…

Can You Use a Trust Instead of a Will? If you have never constructed an estate plan, you may be wondering which documents you’ll absolutely need to have in place in order to cover your most critical bases. If you are a parent of minor children, you’ll need to designate…

Indeterminate Sentencing, Utah Most people assume that a judge will sentence an offender to a specific, determinate sentence such as “twelve years in the state prison.” An offender would then know exactly how much time they were going to serve and when they would be released. Utah does not do…

Five Common Myths Around Estate Planning Estate planning can benefit almost anyone. You may have a lot of questions about the best way to divide up your assets, what kind of health care requests you can make, and whether you can legally ensure that your children are taken care of…

Utah Sex Offenses Utah has some of the strictest laws in the nation regarding sexual offenses. For example, the minimum mandatory terms for imprisonment regarding certain sexual offenses against children (“Jessica’s Law”; see below) is 25 years in State prison. Further, a court may impose consecutive sentences upon a defendant…