Blog
Insights on Utah DUI law, defense strategy, and protecting your rights.
The Driver License Hearing Process in Utah
After a Utah DUI arrest, you have just 10 days to request a Driver License Division hearing — but should you attend? Learn what this informal, telephonic hearing can and can’t do for your license, and why I usually handle it without putting you on the line to testify.
The Utah DUI Court Process
Facing a DUI charge in Utah and unsure what comes next? This plain-English guide walks you through each stage of the court process — from your initial appearance and pretrial conference to suppression hearings and trial by judge or jury — so you know exactly what to expect at every step.
How does a Utah DUI or Impaired Driving Affect your gun rights
A first-offense misdemeanor DUI in Utah does not make you a prohibited
person — you keep the right to own firearms. But it is a statutory
disqualifier for a Utah concealed carry permit, and pleading down to
impaired driving does not fix that. At the felony level, the consequences
turn permanent.
How Much Does a DUI Lawyer Cost in Utah
Utah DUI fees range from a few thousand dollars to well into five figures, and the spread confuses people. But the number is the least useful part of the conversation. A DUI isn’t a traffic case — it’s a forensic science case, resting on field sobriety protocols, breath instrument calibration, and gas chromatography. Here’s what defending one actually takes.
Intoxilyzer and the “Baker” rule
A Utah driver’s DUI conviction was just reversed — because he bit his fingernails before his breath test. In American Fork City v. Barbour (2026 UT App 107), the Court of Appeals held that anything put in the mouth during the 15-minute observation period restarts the Baker clock. Here’s what it means for your breath-test case.
Utah Road Rage Laws
Utah’s Road Rage Enhancement Law: What You Need to Know | Utah DUI Defense Board-Certified DUI Defense · NCDD Faculty Member · Serving All of Utah Utah Criminal Law Update Utah’s Road Rage Enhancement Law:What Every Driver Needs to Know A single traffic incident can now turn a minor misdemeanor into a felony. Here’s what […]
2026 Utah E-Bike Laws
Utah Traffic & DUI Law Update Utah’s New E-Bike Law: What HB 381 Means for Riders — Including Alcohol and DUI on an Electric Bike House Bill 381, the Electric Mobility Device Amendments, took effect May 6, 2026. It redraws the legal line between e-bikes, “high power electric devices,” and electric motorcycles, adds helmet […]
Utah Courts Reaffirm: Breath Test Shortcuts Aren’t Allowed — And Neither Is Judicial Guesswork
Utah Court of Appeals Affirms the Mouth Check for Foundation for admissibility of a breath test results Posted in: DUI Defense | Utah Case Law If you’ve been charged with a DUI in Utah and the State’s case rests on a breath test, here’s something you need to understand: that test result is not automatically […]
The Utah Interdicted Person
Establishing a legal understanding of DUI consequences in Utah is crucial for anyone navigating these laws. Two key statutes, Utah Code 32B-1-102 and 41-6a-505, outline a specific legal status known as “interdiction.” The following blog post explains what it means to be an interdicted person, the situations that require it, and the process and duration of this status. […]
Utah DUI Driver license Changes 2026
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE · JULY 2026 Important Changes to Utah’s DUI License Suspension Law Take Effect July 1, 2026 Utah Code § 53-3-223 has been amended — and if you or someone you know is facing a DUI charge, these changes matter. Here is what you need to know. BY GLEN W. NEELEY, ATTORNEY AT LAW UTAH […]
Utah Criminal Refusal Law
The recent Utah Court of Appeals decision in State v. Allen (2026 UT App 47) provides a critical lesson for both law enforcement and legal practitioners: in criminal law, the specific language used in a warrant isn’t just “legal jargon”—it is the boundary of the State’s power. While Michael Lee Allen’s conviction for failing to stop for […]
Can I get a work permit to Drive to Work if my License is suspended?
In the last couple of years the Utah Legislature has come out with two ways to get your license back early. First, if a driver loses their license at the administrative license hearing, there is now a process to obtain a license during the licensing period. It will require the driver to get a risk […]