Criminal Defense Lawyer–Jake Gunter
The Law Firm of Howard Lewis & Petersen, PC has been serving criminal defense clients in Vernal and Uintah County since 1950. Our, headquartered in Provo, Utah have actively represented Uintah County and the surrounding area residents for decades.
Call Uintah County criminal defense lawyer Jake Gunter for a free consultation at (801) 373-6345. Additionally, he can SKYPE, FACETIME or otherwise video conference to meet your needs.
Common Uintah County/Vernal Drug Charges
(1). Vernal Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. See Utah Code Ann 58-37a-1 (2018). Illegal drug paraphernalia possession carries mandatory 120 day driver’s license suspensions.
(2). Vernal Simple Drug Possession. Possession of a Controlled Substance. See Utah Code Ann. 58-37-1 (2018). Again, even simple illegal drug possession carries 120 days of driver’s license suspension.
(3). Drug Distribution. Serious prison time attaches to drug distribution charges, even for first time offenders. Drug trafficking charges in Vernal and Uintah County need to be dealt with aggressively by your Utah criminal defense attorney.
(4). Uintah Growing Pot Allegations. Drug Manufacturing. Marijuana is often grown in more rural areas and methamphetamine manufacturing carries serious criminal charges. Aggressive criminal defense can make the difference between prison and jail.
(5). Prescription Drug Offense. Having a lapsed prescription for pain killers can land you in jail, along with mislabeled or prescriptions drugs in the wrong container. Not having a valid prescription is also a serious offense carrying jail time.
(6). National Forests and Federal Land Crimes. Hunting/Fishing Offenses. DNR, hunting, poaching and fishing violations can sometimes be charged in federal court when they occur on federal land or in a National Forest. The neighboring Ashley National Forest and Dinosaur National Monument have wonderful recreation, but are considered federal land.
See our hunting crimes article for more information about Utah hunting and fishing crimes.
Uintah County Common Traffic Offenses—The Non-Resident Violator Compact
(1). Simple Speeding Tickets. If you are traveling through the area, you can hire attorney Jake Gunter to handle your Uintah County speeding ticket. Oftentimes, you can avoid having to come back to the State and conduct the entire matter by mail. Dealing with speeding tickets can alleviate points accumulation and insurance rates going up. See this deep article on Utah traffic offense here.
(2). Speeding Tickets and The Utah Non-Resident Violator Compact. The Utah Non-Resident Violator Compact is in full effect in Utah. At the present time, the following states are not members of the Non-resident Violator Compact and will not act on a request to suspend the driver license of a person issued a traffic citation in the State of Utah who fails to appear or contact the court on the citation: Alaska, California, Michigan, Montana, Oregon, and Wisconsin.
(3). Drunk Driving. Impaired Driving. Drugged Driving (Metabolite). Normally, the Utah Highway Patrol handles DUIs, DWIs, and drugged driving while patrolling Uintah County I-15. Impaired driving offenses carry mandatory driver’s license suspension, along with mandatory jail sentences, which sometimes can be done by GPS or community service.
See this article for more information on the ramifications of a Utah drunk driving conviction.
(4). Boating Driving Under the Influence. BUIs. Neighboring Steinaker State Park has great recreation, but it is still illegal to drive a boat while intoxicated. All the normal drunk driving laws apply to boating while under the influence, including a driver license sanction.
See this article for more information on boating and drinking in Utah.
UINTAH COUNTY CRIMINAL DEFENSE RESOURCES
Uintah County District Court
920 East Highway 40
Vernal, UT 84078
P: (435) 781-9300
Vernal Police Department
374 E Main St
Vernal, UT 84078
P: (435) 789-5835
Juvenile Court
920 East Highway 40
Vernal, UT 84078
P: (435) 781-9335
Uintah County Justice Court
641 East 300 South, Suite 100
Vernal, UT 84078
P: (435) 781-5338
Vernal Justice Court
374 East Main Street
Vernal, UT 84078
P: (435)-789-7137
If you or a loved one are struggling with a drug charge in Vernal or Uintah County, contact our office today to discuss your options.
