Marshall Thompson was a member of the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole from 2020 to 2023 and was the Director of the Utah Sentencing Commission from 2017 to 2020. Prior to that, Marshall provided appellate representation to a wide range of clients. 

Thompson’s appellate practice helped shape Utah law and expand constitutional rights in Utah. Sample cases include: Neese v. Utah Board of Pardons & Parole, In re K.A.S., In re E.K.S., and Wheeler v. Allstate. As the Director of the Sentencing Commission for the State of Utah, Marshall helped publish the Utah Sentencing Guidelines and advised the Governor and Legislature on criminal sentencing policy. In that role, he trained judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, and parole officers on the use of the guidelines and on evidence-based sentencing practices. Most recently, as one of five members confirmed by the Utah Senate to serve on the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole, Marshall conducted pardon hearings, parole hearings, evidentiary hearings, parole violation hearings, and participated in thousands of parole and pardon decisions.

Marshall is now returning to Thompson Appeals, but with an expanded mission to help people at any stage of the criminal justice system that follows a conviction, not just appeals. This includes pardons, parole violation proceedings, special attention and redetermination requests to the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole, and post-conviction relief petitions.

Even though a sentencing decision can seem like the resolution of a case, for many, it’s just the beginning. Marshall can help you or a loved one navigate the complex post-conviction world to find the best possible outcome in an otherwise tragic situation.

EXPERIENCE

Utah Board of Pardons and Parole, Board Member

Utah Sentencing Commission, Director

Salt Lake Legal Defender Association, Appellate Attorney

Thompson Appeals, Appellate Attorney

Utah Court of Appeals, Judge Gregory K. Orme, Salt Lake City, UT, Law Clerk

EDUCATION

J. Reuben Clark Law School, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT J.D., cum laude, May 2013

• Harvard Law and Policy Review, Official Blogger, www.hlpronline.com

• International Law and Management Review, Associate Editor

• Certificates in Human Rights Law from the International Bar Association and International  Humanitarian Law from the American Red Cross

E.W. Scripps School of Journalism, Ohio University, Athens, OH M.S. in Journalism, April 2010

• John R. Wilhelm foreign correspondence scholarship

Utah State University, Logan, UT B.A. in Journalism, April 2004