Entries by Cara Tangaro

Electing Utah Judges

This past week I have had several people reach out to me regarding retention of Utah Judges and I have also seen some alarming Facebook posts about people who just vote a blanket “no.” Here is my two cents: I am in court for 5-10 appearances per week and have appeared in front of 90% […]

Your First Appearance in Criminal Court

From my experience, it definitely matters how you present yourself to the court. Your first impression to the court is your foundation to a positive outcome. The judge, jury and everyone in the courtroom will take notice of how you choose to present yourself. Your appearance and conduct show that you respect the courtroom and […]

Choosing a Criminal Defense Attorney

Choosing a Criminal Defense Attorney If you are charged or suspected of a crime in the State of Utah, it is important that you choose the right criminal defense attorney to represent you and defend your rights. In order to help you select the best defense attorney, I have compiled a list of questions that […]

Utah Firing Squad Proposal

In a landmark decision handed down by the Utah House of Representatives, a 39-34 vote has decided to resurrect the firing squad as a method of execution. The proposal is due to be voted on in the Senate soon, where many believe the voting will be just as close. The proposal is controversial, to say […]

Drug Court Policy Change

The Federal Government just announced a new change in policy surrounding federally assisted drug courts, this change guarantees drug court defendants the ability to receive medication-based treatments for opioid addiction. Across the country, many drug courts, which give defendants the opportunity to defer and reduce sentences and get treatment, have refused to allow defendants access […]

Death Penalty

Tensions and displeasure’s rise as trials continue to be delayed for alleged Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokar Tsarnaev, and infamous 2012 gunmen, James Holmes, who has admitted responsibility for a shooting that resulted in many dead and wounded in Aurora Colorado during a screening of The Dark Knight Rises. Both of these incidents shocked the nation, […]

Jameis Winston Sexual Assault Case

Florida State University’s all-star quarterback is no stranger to the limelight. In the last year Jameis Winston has gone has gone from a relative unknown to a household name. With his fame, though, the talented young athlete has received an equal part of infamy. It seems for every story about Heisman trophies and touchdown passes, […]

What Is The Civil Asset Forfeiture Law?

Frequent readers of this blog will remember an earlier post about asset forfeiture. For those that do not, civil asset forfeiture is a government program that allows for the seizure of personal property of those suspected of drug crimes. These properties are later sold at auction and the funds are returned to the pockets of […]