We tend to think of police officers as the good guys, defending the streets from lawbreakers. They have an important job to do, though it’s often stressful, dangerous, and thankless. Police officers are part of the reason we feel a sense of security and safety on a daily basis. For that, they deserve our respect.

As a society, we can forget that the men and women in U.S. prison systems are our parents, siblings, relatives, colleagues, friends, and neighbors. They face a wide range of charges and sentences. Some come from difficult childhoods. Others battle addiction or are serving time for a lapse in judgement.

Have you ever wondered how criminal defense lawyers influence the laws? Individual cases influence the law all the time. Expert defense lawyers use their representation to help protect their current clients and expand the rights of people accused of crimes in the future.

The crime of money laundering involves the act of transforming money made from illegal activities or corruption into assets that appear legitimate. Prosecutors have to prove that the money was actually obtained illegally or through corruption, which means there can be room for an experienced defense team to protect against weak and unwarranted accusations.

In Utah, not all courts are the same. In fact, there are four specialty courts that work with defendants to help them find alternatives to incarceration and/or a reduction of charges. Specialty courts are mainly for those who have substance abuse issues or a mental health diagnosis. These courts work with defendants to reduce the possibility they will commit crimes in the future. This includes court-ordered requirements such as treatment and classes.

We live in a world where almost everything involves computers, so the Utah legal system has established a set of classifications and punishments for various computer crimes. In general, a computer crime interferes with the normal operation of a computer system. This includes things like hacking or even attempting to access a computer to change, steal, or copy information or settings. The law also prohibits ransomware, denial of service attacks, phishing, and spyware.

As you might imagine, Utah’s drug laws are conservative and punishment for drug crimes can be harsh. Whether you are charged with something simple like possession, or something more serious like cultivation, distribution, or trafficking, it’s important that you have an experienced lawyer to make sure your rights are protected.

Hiring a defense lawyer isn’t just for people who have committed or been charged with a crime. While an experienced and dedicated defense lawyer can help you fight for your rights if you have committed a crime, there are also plenty of other circumstances where you should consider hiring a defense lawyer. Below are a few examples of how defense lawyers can help you navigate tricky situations.

With tensions rising in seemingly every area of life, it’s not a surprise that criminal charges for hate crimes have also increased. According to statistics from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program, there were 46 hate crime incidents in Utah in 2020. In 2019 there were only 18. One of the major factors in determining whether a crime is charged as a hate crime is intent. Fighting against accusations based on your intent can be difficult, but the expert criminal defense lawyers at Brown, Bradshaw, and Moffat can help. Below are three questions you may have about hate crimes and the associated charges in Utah.