77-11c-303. Procedure for authorizing the return or disposal of evidence of a felony offense.

843 words·~4 min read·/ut/title-77/chapter-11c/77-11c-303

A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.

Effective 5/6/2026

(1)If an agency determines that the agency is not required to retain evidence of a felony offense under Subsection 77-11c-302(1)(a)(i) , and the agency seeks to return or dispose of the evidence, the agency shall send a written request to the prosecuting attorney that:

(a)identifies the evidence;

(b)explains the reason that the agency is not required to retain the evidence under Subsection 77-11c-302(1)(a)(i) ; and

(c)explains the steps that the agency will take, or has taken, to preserve sufficient evidence from the property, contraband, item, or substance for use as evidence in a prosecution of the offense.

(2)If a prosecuting attorney receives a written request described in Subsection

(1), the prosecuting attorney shall:

(a)provide a notice of receipt to the agency within 15 days after the day on which the prosecuting attorney receives the written request; and

(b)send a written notification to the agency of the prosecuting attorney's decision to deny or grant an agency's written request within 60 days after the day on which the prosecuting attorney receives the agency's written request.

(3)If an agency sends a written request described in Subsection

(1)to the prosecuting attorney, the agency shall also send the written request by certified mail, return receipt requested, or a delivery service, including an electronic delivery service, that provides proof of delivery, to:

(a)any individual who remains in custody based on a conviction related to the evidence;

(b)the private attorney or public defender of record for each individual described in Subsection (3)(a) ;

(c)the entity that employed the private attorney or public defender described in Subsection (3)(b) at the time of the criminal conviction;

(d)if applicable, the prosecuting agency responsible for the prosecution of each individual described in Subsection (3)(a) ; and

(e)the Utah attorney general.

(a)If a person described in Subsection

(3)receives a request from an agency seeking to return or dispose of evidence of the felony offense, the person may object to the agency's request to return or dispose of evidence of the felony offense.

(b)To object to an agency's request under Subsection (4)(a) , the person shall send a written objection to the agency and prosecuting attorney within 60 days after the day on which the person receives the agency's request.

(5)If the prosecuting attorney receives a written request under Subsection

(2)and determines that the agency needs to retain the evidence for a prosecution of the felony offense, the prosecuting attorney shall send a written notification to the agency that explains the reason for which the prosecuting attorney is denying the agency's request.

(6)The agency may petition the court for an order granting the agency's request to return or dispose of the evidence of a felony offense if:

(a)the prosecuting attorney denies the agency's written request or does not respond to an agency's written request within the time periods described in Subsection

(2); or

(b)a person described in Subsection

(3)objects to the agency's written request.

(7)The court shall hold a hearing on the agency's petition to determine whether an agency's request to return or dispose of evidence should be granted.

(8)After a hearing on the agency's petition, the court shall grant an agency's request to return or dispose of evidence of a felony offense if the court determines, by a preponderance of the evidence, that:

(a)the size, bulk, or physical character of the evidence renders retention impracticable or the evidence poses a security or safety problem for the agency;

(b)the evidence no longer has any significant evidentiary value; and

(c)the agency will take, or has taken, steps to preserve sufficient evidence from the property, contraband, item, or substance for use as evidence in a prosecution of the offense.

(9)If the court determines that a prosecuting attorney, or a person described in Subsection

(3), objects to an agency's request to dispose or return of physical evidence of a felony offense because the physical evidence contains biological evidence that would be evidence in a prosecution of the offense, the court may require the agency to collect and preserve biological evidence from the physical evidence before the agency returns or disposes of the evidence.

(10)If a prosecuting attorney denies the agency's written request or a person described in Subsection

(3)objects to the agency's written request, the agency shall retain the evidence of a felony offense as described in Section 77-11c-301 until:

(a)the agency obtains a court order granting the agency's request to return or dispose of the evidence as described in Subsection

(8); or

(b)the time periods described in Section 77-11c-301 have expired.

(11)The requirements of this section do not apply when the return or disposal of evidence of a misdemeanor offense is in compliance with a memorandum of understanding between the agency and the prosecuting attorney.

Amended by Chapter 253 , 2026 General Session