Misdemeanor

At The Zabriskie Law Firm, our  Salt Lake City criminal defense attorneys  are equipped to handle cases in State and Federal Court. Many people are confused as to the difference between these two types of cases, so we’re here to help explain the differences as well as some of the similarities. The Utah state government and the U.S. federal government are two separate entities and therefore have two distinct court systems, although the federal system of government shares power

Editor's note: This post was first published in 2013. It was updated on Dec 10, 2025, for clarity and accuracy. Utah treats impaired driving seriously. Most first-time DUI cases are misdemeanors , but charges can be enhanced—sometimes to a third-degree felony —when certain facts are present (serious injury, young passengers, or repeat convictions). What follows is a plain-English summary of how Utah law handles DUIs and the penalties a court can impose. Summary Utah DUI law p

4 BIGGEST MISTAKES MADE BY CRIMINAL DEFENDANTS So there you are, sitting in your living room reading a letter from your attorney that says something like this, “Criminal charges have been filed against you in case #:11130098. Be advised that ‘Utah’ judges are rarely bound by determinative sentencing guidelines. In other words, your judge has the discretion to sentence you within the basic sentencing guidelines as indicated below with few exceptions:” As you look below to wh