The Appellate Group

State v. Pontiff

State v. Pontiff, 2026 UT App 117 (Tenney, J.)

Criminal

The Utah Court of Appeals held:

Because there was insufficient evidence to show that the defendant had used force “likely to cause a loss of consciousness” when choking the victim, an element required by the statute in effect at the time of the crime, the district court erred in denying the defendant’s motion for a directed verdict on that charge.

Read the full court opinion