Opportunity to Object Is Not Dispositive: Utah’s “Legal Necessity” Mistrial Exception Can Apply Even Without Pre-Discharge Objections Case: State v. Mitton, 2026 UT 11 (Utah Supreme Court, May 7,...
Strict Adoption-Contest Intervention Applies Even to First-in-Time Petitioners; Absurdity Doctrine Cannot Rest on Hypotheticals In re Adoption of R.P., 2026 UT 9 I. Introduction Case: In the Matter...
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations Are a Floor, and Jeffs Cannot Be Used to Negate an Existing Statutory Duty to Operate Safe Vehicles Case: Maldonado-Velasquez v. Ron J Peterson Construction,...
UPEPA Fee Awards in Utah: “Related to” a Special Motion Means Work Reasonably Necessary to Prosecute the Motion Case: Aston v. Chronicle-Progress LLC, 2026 UT 7 (Utah Supreme Court) (Apr. 2, 2026)...
Reversal on Preservation Grounds Vacates Merits Analysis: No Precedential Effect for Vacated Prejudice Rulings and a Narrow Strickland-Prejudice Path for Lesser-Included Instruction Errors 1....
Deer Valley v. Olson (2026 UT 5): Pugmire Limited to Work-Related Injuries—Employer-Employee Liability Waivers Not Per Se Void for Off-Duty Harm 1. Introduction In Deer Valley Resort Company v....
Evidence Required to Trigger the State’s Burden Under Utah’s Pretrial Justification Statute Introduction State v. Jennings, 2026 UT 4, addresses a recurring procedural question under Utah’s Pretrial...
Evidence—Not Mere Proffer—Is Required to Make a “Prima Facie Claim of Justification” at a Utah Pretrial Justification Hearing (Utah Code § 76-2-309) 1. Introduction State v. Jennings, 2026 UT 4, is...
Future Benefits Count in Fee Apportionment Under Utah Workers’ Compensation Third-Party Recoveries; Employer Must Pay Its Share Before Taking an Offset Introduction In Auto Owners Insurance v. Labor...
In re B.G.: No Ineffective Assistance for Acquiescing to ICPC Use as the Practical Mechanism for Out-of-State Parental Home-Visit Findings Introduction In re B.G., 2026 UT 2, arises from juvenile...
Specific, Non-Speculative Irreparable Harm Required to Halt Construction Pending Appeal Under Utah R. App. P. 8 Introduction In VAN DUSEN v. WASATCH COUNTY, nearby residents (Bruce Van Dusen, Bruce...
Landlord Not Liable for Tenant’s Dog Bite Absent Possession/Control (or Properly Developed Restatement Theory) in Utah Introduction Tesch v. Bonneville Property Investment, LLC, 2025 UT 58, presented...
State v. Blackwing (2025 UT 60): Intrinsic-Act Evidence Is Not “Other Act” Evidence Under Utah Rule of Evidence 404(b) 1. Introduction In State v. Blackwing, the Utah Supreme Court reviewed (on...
State v. Najera (2025 UT 61): Case-by-Case “Primary Purpose” Test for SANE Statements and ER “Triage” Police Questioning as Nontestimonial 1. Introduction In State v. Najera, the Utah Supreme Court...
Rule 65B Cannot Be Used to Bypass Statutory Standing; Mandamus-Like Relief Under Rule 65B(d)(2)(B) Targets Nonperformance, Not Alleged Misperformance Introduction In ERDA Community Association, Inc....
Utah Adopts the Burlington “Materially Adverse” Retaliation Standard Under the UAA (and Confirms Agency Authority to Award Reasonable Statutory Attorney Fees) I. Introduction In Christensen v. Labor...
State v. James (2025 UT 53): Utah Rejects “Error-Alone” Plain-Error Prejudice for Denial of Allocution in Indeterminate Sentencing 1. Introduction In State v. James, the Utah Supreme Court...
State v. Hunt (2025 UT 54): Utah Clarifies Appellate Review of Refused Jury Instructions—Correctness for Legal Entitlement/Accuracy, Abuse of Discretion for Wording and Clarification Court: Supreme...
Newton v. State (2025 UT 50): PCRA Petitioners May File Freestanding Summary Judgment Motions, but Not Embedded Cross-Motions in Opposition Memoranda 1. Introduction Newton v. State, 2025 UT 50,...
Extraordinary Writs in Election Emergencies: Discretion to Deny Relief to Prevent Late-Stage Voter Confusion and Election Disruption Case: Anderson v. Hon. Bates, 2025 UT 51 (Utah Nov. 6, 2025) 1....