Sexual assault victims’ statements to officers and medical professionals may be admitted at trial when made primarily for safety assessment and medical treatment rather than evidence gathering.
The Utah Supreme Court clarified that evidence directly connected to charged crimes is intrinsic and not subject to rule 404(b) analysis.
The Utah Supreme Court clarified that defendants seeking pretrial dismissal based on justification must present actual evidence, not merely proffer facts, to establish each element of their defense claim.
Utah courts may admit evidence of grooming behavior in child sexual abuse cases as intrinsic evidence that provides contextual background without requiring rule 404(b) analysis.
The Court of Appeals clarified preservation requirements for notice challenges and held that redundant jury instructions on affirmative defenses are not required when other instructions adequately inform the jury of the State’s burden of proof.
Utah appellate courts will not require jury unanimity on whether a defendant committed murder as a principal versus accomplice, treating these as different theories of the same offense rather than separate crimes.
Lotus Appellate Law handles appeals throughout Utah, serving clients in all counties and courts across the state including:
