State v. Thomas
State v. Thomas, 2025 UT App 133 (Harris, J.)
Criminal
The Utah Court of Appeals held:
- The district court did not abuse its discretion in sustaining the State’s objection to Counsel’s question during cross-examination.
- Although the district court obviously erred in telling the jury the classifications of Defendant’s charges, Defendant did not demonstrate that he was prejudiced by the error.
- Practice tip: It is appropriate to question a law enforcement witness about whether they intended to conduct a search as part of an investigation, but asking whether an officer had a “right to search pursuant to a particular legal doctrine” calls for an impermissible legal conclusion.