Each year, the Utah Legislature meets for a legislative session that lasts 45 calendar days (starting in January and ending in March). During this session, hundreds of bills* to change the laws in Utah are proposed.

Whether you are traveling to Utah for vacation or business, or you are just passing through, the last thing you want to deal with is a criminal charge in a state far from home. Navigating an unfamiliar state’s laws and systems can be complicated and overwhelming. Below are a few things you should know to get a better picture of what an arrest in Utah might mean for you.

If you are charged with a crime in Utah, the process will follow Utah’s criminal procedure rules. These rules govern the series of proceedings through which the local, state and federal government enforces substantive criminal law. The rules of the criminal procedure vary widely in different municipalities and at the state and federal level. The expert legal team at Brown, Bradshaw & Moffat have decades of experience with criminal procedure in Utah. We can help you navigate the rules and present a strong defense.

Utah is one of only 12 states that has a Clean Slate law. It was passed in 2019 with the intention of making it much easier to get an expungement. Salt Lake City police confirmed that after a massive backlog, they have cleared more than 74,000 criminal records as a result of this law as of August 2024, according to The Salt Lake Tribune. If you’ve struggled because of your criminal record, the Clean Slate law may be a big help to you. 

Most individuals charged with a DUI in Utah are facing their first arrest and crime on their record. According to data from the Utah Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice, police made 11,246 DUI-related arrests in 2023. Of the 11,246, 73% had never been arrested before.

If you’re 21 or older in Utah, there’s nothing illegal about hanging out at your friend’s house on a Friday night to enjoy each other’s company with a few drinks. However, if you get behind the wheel of a vehicle after finishing those drinks, you’ve crossed the line into illegal territory. Even if it’s your first offense, you’ll face some difficult consequences.

If you’re accused of committing a felony, there are a couple routes you can take. You can try to prove your innocence, but that can be risky. If you lose your case, you can spend years in prison. Because of this, you might want to consider seeking probation instead. As always, don’t make any decisions before consulting a criminal defense attorney.

Driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs (DUI) in Utah can lead to harsh criminal penalties for those found guilty. Several factors can determine how serious your charges for DUI might be. That’s why you need an experienced legal team who will fight for your rights—no matter the charges.

In almost every state across the US, the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) you can legally operate a motor vehicle with is the same–0.08. However, that is well above the legal limit in Utah. In the Beehive State, it is not legal to drive a vehicle if you have a BAC of 0.05 or greater.