The Appellate Group

State v. Blair

State v. Blair, 2026 UT App 162 (Mortensen, J.)

CRIMINAL LAW

The Utah Court of Appeals held:

(1) The district court plainly erred in allowing the jury to hear about potential punishment for the possession crimes. The court remanded for a new trial.
(2) The Court of Appeals provided guidance on rule 404(b) evidence for remand.

Practice tip:

A district court commits obvious error when it informs the jury of the classification of the offense in question.

Read the full court opinion