The Appellate Group

State v. Bunton

State v. Bunton, 2026 UT App 59 (Mortensen, J.)

Criminal Law

The Utah Court of Appeals held:

The district court exceeded its discretion when it denied defense counsel’s for-cause challenge to Juror 23 because Juror 23’s initial, unsolicited admission of bias was not sufficiently rebutted by his assent to the prosecutor’s persuasive suggestions.

Practice tip:

People who have children and who feel—because of their parental sensitivities—that they can’t be fair and impartial in child-abuse- related cases are barred from jury service in such cases. This bar arises not because they have children but because they feel that they can’t be fair and impartial owing to their parental status.

Read the full court opinion

by The Appellate Group

2026, Court of Appeals, Criminal, Q2

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