Legally Consume Cannabis, Yet Become a Criminal in Utah?
Utah is surrounded by six states, four of which have legalized the possession and use of cannabis to some degree. This means that on a daily basis, drivers from these states pass through Utah’s borders—and in doing so,...
New Rules for Hemp Extract in Utah: HB105 Implementation
The Controlled Substance Advisory Committee in Utah recently discussed regulatory implementation of the bill allowing the use of hemp extract for persons with intractable epilepsy. Libertas Institute was in attendance to hear...
New Judicial Federalism: How Utah Can Avoid Recent Supreme Court Erosion of the Fourth Amendment
The U.S. Supreme Court recently issued a decision in the case of Navarette v. California which has potentially grave consequences for Fourth Amendment rights. The decision upheld the stop of a vehicle precipitated by an anonymous...
Crime and Punishment: Utah’s Voluminous Laws
It will be of little avail to the people that the laws are made by men of their own choice, if the laws be so voluminous that they cannot be read, or so incoherent that they cannot be understood. —James Madison, Federalist 62...
Applying the Incident to Arrest Exception to Digital Devices
By Sean Brian Editor’s Note: The issues at heart of the cases described below were the subject of pioneering legislation in Utah that now protects stored and transmitted data on electronic devices such as a cell phone. Of...
Criminal Justice Reform Coming to Utah
In his 2014 State of the State Address, Utah Governor Gary Herbert said: Addressing population growth also involves improving our criminal justice system and providing structure for individuals to become productive members of...