Joyriding Defense Attorney - Utah
Criminal Lawyer
A joyriding charge in Utah (unauthorized control over a motor vehicle) could result in a
felony
conviction and a prison term of up to five years and
thousands of dollars in fines. If you are facing criminal charges for
joyriding or exercising unauthorized control over a motor vehicle, it
is critical to have an
experienced Utah
criminal defense attorney
on your side. Based in Salt Lake City, Stephen Howard has successfully
defended some of the most serious charges on the books in Utah. He has
a
record of achieving real results for his clients.
Contact us today to arrange an initial consultation.
Elements of a Joyriding Charge (Unlawful Control Over Motor Vehicle)
Utah technically has no crime
of "joyriding." Under Utah's
criminal code, the crime commonly referred to as "joyriding" is called "unauthorized control over a motor vehicle." Unlike
motor
vehicle theft, "unauthorized control" only requires that the
person charged have the intent to "temporarily" deprive the owner of
the vehicle.
Many joyriding charges in Utah begin as vehicle theft cases.
If the vehicle is not returned before police locate it, a
prosecutor or jury may conclude that the person with the car never
intended to return it. If a person has the intent to keep the
vehicle, the charge becomes a second degree felony vehicle theft
punishable by up to 15 years in prison. If you are charged
with vehicle theft, a good criminal defense attorney may be able to
negotiate a misdemeanor joyriding charge.
Penalties for Joyriding Convictions in Utah
The severity of a joyriding conviction in Utah can depend on the length
of time that the vehicle is missing. If the vehicle is gone for more
than 24 hours, a third degree felony
may be charged with potential punishment of up to five years in prison.
If the vehicle is returned within 24 hours,
it is typically charged as a class A
misdemeanor with a maximum penalty of up to a year in jail.
The
time periods involved in determining the level of a joyriding charge
are premised on the idea that the defendant is the person who returns
the vehicle. If police recover the vehicle and return it within the 24
period, the
charge can still be filed as a third degree
felony.
A third
degree felony can also be filed for joyriding if the vehicle is damaged while under the control of the defendant.
Finding a Criminal Attorney in Salt Lake City, Utah
As an experienced Utah
criminal defense attorney, Stephen Howard has successfully
handled thousands of criminal cases for clients during his career. He has a
record of achieving real results for clients. Based in Salt Lake City, he provides legal services to clients throughout Utah.
If you are facing joyriding charges or prosecution for other Utah
crimes, you need an experienced
criminal attorney on your side.
Contact
us
now to schedule an initial consultation with
Utah
criminal defense lawyer Stephen Howard.

Being charged with a crime is not the same as being convicted. But just being charged can affect more than you may have imagined - jail, job, family, bills, rent or mortgage. It can feel like everything has gone wrong, and may you wonder if anything can go right. But facing criminal prosecution does not mean giving up hope....
Reasons to Hope
»