Criminal Justice

Utah lawmakers are considering a bill with a provision to let judges transfer certain juvenile offenders to adult prisons. The proposal has sparked sharp debate among attorneys, advocates, and those who’ve witnessed the dangers young people face behind bars.

Public defenders in Weber and Utah counties hope to recreate the success of a youth violence prevention program in Salt Lake County that saw particular results in the city of Magna.

A bill separate from the Utah Supreme Court proposal wants to add more judges for district courts, the juvenile court and the Court of Appeals. It’s an idea with broader agreement.

Two media attorneys reviewed the transcript and told KUER that the October hearing in question for Charlie Kirk’s accused killer could have happened mostly in public.

The Utah Attorney General's Office is prosecuting online child abuse crimes at double the rate in 2025 compared to previous years. Defense lawyers are concerned that child sex abuse material is too available on the mainstream internet.

Gamboa spoke publicly for the first time since his June arrest in the Salt Lake City No Kings protest shooting. The district attorney recently announced Gamboa wouldn’t be charged.

Laura Ah Loo has not said much publicly about her husband’s fatal shooting at a June No Kings protest in Salt Lake City. But after more than four months without any charges filed, her legal team wants action. And they’re planning to sue.

An analysis by the Utah Defense Attorney Association found that the Legislature passed 165 bills over the last five years to increase criminal penalties. Yet, crime statistics don’t seem to reflect lawmakers’ output.

In a high-profile case this complex, Utah criminal defense attorney Steve Burton said prosecutors will want to thoroughly evaluate all the evidence, which they have lots of.

Utah has a combined $56 million in settlement funds that counties are deciding how to spend. Critics question if police gear and wages are the best use of the money — saying treatment and recovery have historically been underfunded.

El programa de eliminación automática de antecedentes penales de Utah está actualmente en pausa para hacer frente a un retraso.

Utah’s automatic expungement program is currently paused to address a backlog.