Utah legal term
Innocent owner in Utah Criminal Law
Current through 2026 Utah legislative session
In Utah criminal law, “Innocent owner” is a term defined by statute rather than by its everyday meaning. Its statutory definition — quoted verbatim below — controls how the term is applied throughout the Utah criminal code.
What does “Innocent owner” mean in Utah criminal law?
"Innocent owner" means a claimant who: (12)(a) held an ownership interest in property at the time of the commission of an offense subjecting the property to seizure, and: (12)(a)(i) did not have actual knowledge of the offense subjecting the property to seizure; or (12)(a)(ii) upon learning of the commission of the offense, took reasonable steps to prohibit the use of the property in the commission of the offense; or (12)(b) acquired an ownership interest in the property and had no knowledge that the commission of the offense subjecting the property to seizure had occurred or that the property (Utah Code Ann. § 77-11a-101)
Statutes defining or using this term
Related terms in the same statutes
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.