Hate civil asset forfeiture? Here’s a court case in Utah to follow…
The Utah Highway Patrol seized money from a person not suspected of a crime, and then gave it to the federal government—circumventing state law that prohibited them from doing so.
Could you sue the government if its employees hurt you?
Utah law gives police immunity from being sued if they negligently injure a suspect being pursued in a high speed chase—even in cases where they may not have followed the law.
Changes Needed to Utah’s Domestic Violence Law as Part of Larger Mens Rea Reform
Earlier this week, we released a short video about the need to alter the current state statute on domestic violence. As it stands, the statute is a prime example of how too often the law does not judge a person’s intent,...
Juvenile Justice Reform Recommendations Released
The juvenile justice system is a complex ecosystem of policies, processes, and programs aimed to deter and/or punish minors who commit a crime. With little reform over the years, there has not been sufficient oversight to control...
How Juries Can Refuse to Convict People for Breaking an Unjust Law
Editor’s note: The following is a lightly edited interview with Kirsten Tynan, executive director of the Fully Informed Jury Association. The organization works to informed potential jurors about the nature and importance of...
Utah Judge Compels Suicidal Teenager to Attend Public School Despite Being Legally Homeschooled
UPDATE: One day after this interview was published—and after it went viral throughout Utah—Judge Bazelle recused herself from the case. The case is now pending a further court hearing. Editor’s note: The following is a...
HB 405: A Potential Second Chance for Juvenile Offenders
This bill passed the House 64-3 and passed the Senate unanimously. Libertas Institute supports this bill. Adult brains function differently than those of children; the latter group processes information through a portion of the...
SB 189: Repealing The Death Penalty In Utah
This bill passed the Senate 15-12 but was not considered by the House. Libertas Institute supports this bill. We have written extensively about the problems associated with the death penalty in our policy brief and recent op-ed....
HB 160: Ensuring Justice Court Judges Are Trained In The Law
This bill passed the House 44-28 and passed the Senate 24-4. Libertas Institute supports this bill. Most people who interact with the legal system do so through one of the state’s many justice courts. However, justice...
SB107: Adding a Penalty for the “Hate” in Crimes
This bill failed in the Senate, 11-17. Libertas Institute opposes this bill. Senate Bill 107, sponsored by Senator Stephen Urquhart, would create a “penalty enhancement” for any crime that involves “hate.”...