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Sean D. Reyes
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Former UHP Trooper Steed Case Settled

SALT LAKE CITY July 22, 2016 –The Utah Attorney General’s Office settled a lawsuit today brought in State Court against former Utah Highway Patrol Trooper Lisa Steed for costs and attorney’s fees in the amount of $200,000. The Utah Highway Patrol and the State of Utah were dismissed from the case in a ruling last week. In that ruling, claims were also dismissed against Ms. Steed, but a single claim brought by three individual plaintiffs under the Utah Constitution was allowed to proceed to trial.

Ms. Steed and the Utah Highway Patrol continue to believe that her arrests were supported by probable cause, and therefore were valid under the Utah Constitution. A settlement was made to avoid a lengthy trial and appeal of any jury verdict.  As part of this settlement the case against Ms. Steed in State Court, brought by these three Plaintiffs is dismissed in its entirety with prejudice.  Accordingly, any appeal of the dismissal of the Utah Highway Patrol and the State of Utah is foreclosed as a matter of law.

The settlement and dismissal of this case is intended to foreclose any right to appeal the denial of class certification that the Court ruled on last year.  The settlement will need to be approved by the Court.  In essence, the settlement today allows everyone involved in this case, including Ms. Steed, to put this matter behind them and move forward.

Attorney General Litigation Director Joni Jones and her team led by Assistant Attorney General Meb Anderson including Assistant Attorney General Scott Cheney, Sharon Zeller, Suzie Nelson and Mandi Bartlett were successful in getting class action claims dismissed early last winter and prevailed on summary judgement as to the several claims against the State and UHP.