Judge schedules June 22 hearing after defense says it will file motion to dismiss in State v. Mark Allen

A judge in the Fourth District Court put State of Utah v. Mark Allen (Case No. 211401656) on the record and set a hearing for June 22 at 3:00 p.m. after defense counsel told the court they planned to file a motion to dismiss, court proceedings show.

The defense announced its intent on the record: "I intend to be filing a motion to dismiss this case," defense counsel said, adding that the defense did not expect an evidentiary hearing because it was relying on information already in the court record. Prosecutor Greg Peterson agreed that an evidentiary hearing likely would not be necessary.

The judge set scheduling and briefing deadlines. The court directed the defense to file the motion within 14 days and suggested a May filing date. After discussing calendar conflicts, the court approved an end-of-May deadline for the state's response and allowed the defense a reply by June 7. The judge finalized the hearing date for June 22 at 3:00 p.m.

Present on the record were Greg Peterson for the state and Laurie Hobbs "on behalf of the victim," the court noted. The defendant, Mark Allen, appeared by video and audio; the transcript also records a defense attorney identified in court as Mister Parley.

Next steps are the filing of the defense motion to dismiss by the ordered deadline, the state's written response near the end of May, an optional reply by the defense by June 7, and the scheduled hearing on June 22 at 3:00 p.m.

The court did not take any substantive rulings on the motion at the calendar call; it limited the proceeding to setting deadlines and scheduling the hearing.