Section 77-2a-2 - Plea in abeyance agreement - Negotiation - Contents - Terms of agreement - Waiver of time for sentencing(1) At any time after acceptance of a plea of guilty or no contest but before entry of judgment of conviction and imposition of sentence, the court may, upon motion of both the prosecuting attorney and the defendant, hold the plea in abeyance and not enter judgment of conviction against the defendant nor impose sentence upon the defendant within the time periods contained in Rule 22(a), Utah Rules of Criminal Procedure.(2) A defendant shall be represented by counsel during negotiations for a plea in abeyance and at the time of acknowledgment and affirmation of any plea in abeyance agreement unless the defendant knowingly and intelligently waives the defendant's right to counsel.(3) A defendant has the right to be represented by counsel at any court hearing relating to a plea in abeyance agreement.(4)(a) Any plea in abeyance agreement entered into between the prosecution and the defendant and approved by the court shall include a full, detailed recitation of the requirements and conditions agreed to by the defendant and the reason for requesting the court to hold the plea in abeyance.(b) If the plea is to a felony or any combination of misdemeanors and felonies, the agreement shall be in writing and shall, before acceptance by the court, be executed by the prosecuting attorney, the defendant, and the defendant's counsel in the presence of the court.(5)(a) Except as provided in Subsection (5)(b), a plea may not be held in abeyance for a period longer than 18 months if the plea is to any class of misdemeanor or longer than three years if the plea is to any degree of felony or to any combination of misdemeanors and felonies.(b)(i) For a plea in abeyance agreement that the Department of Corrections supervises, the plea may not be held in abeyance for a period longer than the initial term of probation required under the adult sentencing and supervision length guidelines, as defined in Section 63M-7-401.1, if the initial term of probation is shorter than the period required under Subsection (5)(a).(ii) Subsection (5)(b)(i) does not: (A) apply to a plea that is held in abeyance in a drug court created under Title 78A, Chapter 5, Part 2, Drug Court, or a problem solving court approved by the Judicial Council; or(B) prohibit court supervision of a plea in abeyance agreement after the day on which the Department of Corrections supervision described in Subsection (5)(b)(i) ends and before the day on which the plea in abeyance agreement ends.(6) Notwithstanding Subsection (5), a plea may be held in abeyance for up to two years if the plea is to any class of misdemeanor and the plea in abeyance agreement includes a condition that the defendant participate in a problem solving court approved by the Judicial Council.(7) A plea in abeyance agreement may not be approved unless the defendant, before the court, and any written agreement, knowingly and intelligently waives time for sentencing as designated in Rule 22(a), Utah Rules of Criminal Procedure.Amended by Chapter 208, 2024 General Session ,§ 22, eff. 5/1/2024.Amended by Chapter 281, 2020 General Session ,§ 1, eff. 5/12/2020.Amended by Chapter 30, 2018 General Session ,§ 3, eff. 5/8/2018.Enacted by Chapter 82, 1993 General Session