The Appellate Group

State v. Hatch

State v. Hatch, 2025 UT App 132 (Mortensen, J.)

Criminal

The Utah Court of Appeals held:

  • Counsel was not ineffective for failing to object to destruction of evidence where there was no reasonable probability that evidence would have been exculpatory. 
  • Counsel was not ineffective for failing to obtain rebuttal expert where failure was strategic and where any testimony would have been inconsequential.
  • Counsel was not ineffective for failing to object to other-acts evidence where evidence was admissible for non-character purpose. 

Read the full court opinion