Approximately 50–70
Criminal jury trials personally first-chaired
Dozens of trials in which Joshua served as first-chair counsel, including first-degree felony trials.
Attorney profile
Joshua R. Kotter
Founder & Managing Partner
Two decades defending felony charges—including first-degree felony and lower-degree charges—joined with trial-ready advocacy and executive judgment.
- 01 Juris Doctor and MBA
- 02 Former general counsel and healthcare executive
- 03 Former U.S. Army infantry servicemember
The perspective behind the practice
Counsel shaped by the courtroom, the boardroom, and service.
Joshua R. Kotter is the founder and managing partner of Mountain State Attorneys. His practice centers on criminal defense, civil litigation, and business and corporate matters—areas where legal decisions often carry consequences far beyond the immediate proceeding.
Joshua approaches a case from more than one vantage point. His litigation experience informs how he evaluates evidence, develops a record, and prepares for contested proceedings. His former work as general counsel and a healthcare chief executive informs how he evaluates risk, operations, negotiation, and the business consequences of legal strategy.
That combined perspective is especially useful when a matter crosses traditional boundaries: when a criminal allegation affects employment or family, when a business dispute threatens operations, or when a transaction must account for the conflict it is designed to prevent.
Clients work directly with counsel to understand what is happening, which decisions cannot wait, and how each available path may affect the future. The objective is not simply activity on a file. It is a prepared, understandable strategy tied to what the client needs to protect.
Criminal-defense record
Two decades of experience defending serious felony charges.
Joshua R. Kotter and Mountain State Attorneys bring two decades of experience defending felony criminal charges, including first-degree felony (F1) and lower-degree charges. By the firm's count, Joshua has personally first-chaired dozens of criminal jury trials—approximately 50 to 70—including first-degree felony trials. His individual felony docket and the firm's broader experience reflect sustained work in serious, high-consequence criminal matters.
1,225
Felony matters personally handled
Joshua's reported felony experience includes first- and second-degree felony matters.
Approximately 50% / 50%
Reported F1 and F2 case mix
The reported mix of first- and second-degree felony matters was approximately even.
Approximately 1,197
Acquittals, dismissals, or major charge reductions
An aggregate count of those reported outcomes across Joshua's handled felony matters—not a count of trial verdicts alone.
Approximately 1,200
Serious felony matters handled by the firm
Matters involving homicide, aggravated-assault, sex-offense, or major white-collar felony allegations, including homicide cases.
Suppression and preliminary-hearing work
Constitutional and evidentiary challenges
The firm has obtained successful suppression rulings in a meaningful share of matters in which it filed suppression motions and uses preliminary hearings to test probable cause and the evidence supporting felony charges.
How these figures are measured. These figures are based on Mountain State Attorneys' firm-maintained matter and outcome records and Joshua R. Kotter's professional records through September 2026. Figures marked “approximately” are estimates and have not been independently audited. “Handled” includes matters in which counsel provided legal representation and does not necessarily mean a trial. Outcome categories are aggregated and may include negotiated resolutions; “major charge reduction” is the firm's internal case-review classification. The suppression description is limited to matters in which the firm filed a motion. No current standardized Utah or national database was identified that permits a reliable comparison of suppression-motion outcomes.
Results disclaimer. Past results do not guarantee or predict a similar result. Every matter depends on its facts, governing law, evidence, tribunal, and circumstances.
Experience in three dimensions
A broader view of high-consequence decisions.
Different professional settings demand different forms of judgment. Together, they shape how Joshua prepares, communicates, and advocates.
Litigation discipline
Joshua’s work includes civil litigation, criminal defense, motion practice, negotiation, and trial preparation. His early legal experience included plaintiff-side pleading work and first-chair representation in a criminal-defense clinic serving indigent clients.
Executive judgment
Before leading Mountain State Attorneys, Joshua served as general counsel for healthcare and other organizations and held chief-executive roles involving hospitals and healthcare operations. He understands that legal advice must work within financial, operational, and human realities.
Responsibility under pressure
Service in the U.S. Army infantry, civic organizations, higher education, and community initiatives reinforced a direct approach to responsibility: understand the objective, prepare thoroughly, communicate clearly, and remain steady when the situation is difficult.
Background & credentials
Experience that connects law to life outside the case.
Education
- Case Western Reserve University
Juris Doctor and Master of Business Administration - Beta Gamma Sigma
Graduate business honor society - Brigham Young University
Bachelor’s degree; studies in political science and business administration - Law-school leadership
Executive director and lead editor for the law school’s legal journal
Career
- Mountain State Attorneys
Founder and managing partner - General counsel
Former legal executive for hospitals, healthcare organizations, and other enterprises - Healthcare executive
Former chief executive over hospital and healthcare operations - Business-law educator
Former university adjunct professor
Service
- U.S. Army
Former enlisted infantry servicemember - Community development
Former board chair for a community development corporation - Planning & zoning
Former member of a city planning and zoning commission - Education access
Founded a fund that raised cash and in-kind support for students seeking higher education
Beyond the office
Family, community, and the long view.
Joshua’s community involvement has included civic boards, education, youth athletics, and philanthropic work. He is a father of four and values the time spent supporting his children’s academic and athletic pursuits.
Those experiences reinforce something central to his legal practice: a case is rarely only a case. It can affect a family’s stability, a person’s work, an organization’s future, and the opportunities that remain after the legal process ends.
Practice focus
Prepared counsel for matters with more than one layer.
Explore how Mountain State Attorneys approaches the firm’s four priority areas of practice.
Start with a confidential conversation
Bring the whole problem into view.
Tell us what is happening, what needs immediate attention, and what you need to protect. We will help you understand the road ahead.
Begin confidential intake Call or text (801) 770-4323