District Courts - Utah Criminal Defense Lawyer

The Utah district court system has jurisdiction over all levels of criminal offenses, both felony and misdemeanor. Utah justice courts are limited in their jurisdiction to class B misdemeanor and lower level offenses. If you are facing criminal prosecution in a Utah district court, it is vital that you have an experienced criminal defense attorney on your side. Stephen Howard has achieved positive results for clients facing charges in district court for charges including murder, aggravated robbery, aggravated assault, kidnapping, burglary, drug charges, and many more. Based in Salt Lake City, Mr. Howard offers legal services to clients throughout Utah. Contact us today to schedule an initial consultation.

Criminal Jurisdiction for Utah District Courts

A district court in Utah has jurisdiction over both felony and misdemeanor criminal offenses. The court's jurisdiction is typically limited to cases that occur within the geographical boundaries of the county within which the court is located. If there is a justice court that has concurrent geographical jurisdiction with the district court, class B misdemeanor and lower level offenses will initially be filed in that justice court. But all class A misdemeanor and felony charges must be heard in the district court.

Some larger counties in Utah (notably Salt Lake, Davis, and Utah counties) have a criminal case load sufficient to justify multiple district court locations within the county. Case assignments are typically made based on the location within the county where the offense occurs. For example, charges occuring in Salt Lake and West Valley are normally filed in the Salt Lake Department of the Third District Court; whereas cases arising in Sandy, South Jordan, or Draper are normally heard in the West Jordan Department of the Third District Court.

Consequences for Criminal Conviction in a Utah District Court

Because the jurisdiction of Utah's district courts includes both misdemeanors and felonies, the potential penalties for a conviction in a district court criminal case can vary widely. While there are a few criminal offenses under Utah law that carry mandatory prison terms, in most cases a district court judge has the option of granting probation. Depending on the nature and level of the underlying criminal charge, a district court may order a defendant's probation to be supervised by either Utah's Adult Probation and Parole ("AP&P") or by a private probation provider. In Salt Lake County, the court has the option of assigning Salt Lake County Probation Services to supervise probation in class A misdemeanor and lower level charges.

In Utah felony cases, if a district court judge denies a request for probation and instead orders a prison term to be served, the court enters an "indeterminate" sentencing order. Under Utah law, a district court judge cannot determine the exact length of a defendant's prison sentence. Instead, a district court judge can only order a range of time to be served (e.g. 0-5 years, 1-15 years, 5 years to life). Utah law permits the death penalty to be imposed only by a jury in an aggravated murder case.

In Utah misdemeanor cases, a court may impose jail time or probation, or a combination of the two. The maximum amount of jail time depends on the level of the misdemeanor. Class A misdemeanors are punishable by up to one year in jail; class B misdemeanors have a maximum penalty of 180 days in jail; class C misdemeanors carry a potential of 90 days in jail.

In addition to jail or prison time, a district court in Utah can impose fines and surchages that can range into the thousands of dollars. With just a few exceptions, most offenses allow a district to impose a lower fine amount if the judge believes doing so is appropriate.

Finding a Utah Criminal Defense Lawyer in Salt Lake City

If you are facing criminal charges in one of Utah's district courts, an experienced criminal defense lawyer can ensure that your rights are protected. Based in Salt Lake City, Stephen Howard has achieved not guilty verdicts, dismissals, and appellate reversals in some of the most serious criminal charges on the books in Utah.

Contact us today to schedule an initial consultation and case analysis.