Laws

Nevada moving violations…such as speeding or failure to signal…are misdemeanors in Nevada. As crimes, moving violations carry the following consequences: Moving violations go on the driver’s criminal record (though convictions may be sealed one year after the case ends). The penalties may include a fine of up to $1,000, Traffic School, and (in rare cases) …

One of the first questions that Nevada judges ask recently arrested defendants is if they can afford private counsel. If they answer no, the judge appoints a public defender to represent them. Public defenders are not completely free, however… In 2009, the Nevada Supreme Court instructed the state’s district courts to start charging indigent defendants …

Green card holders applying for U.S. citizenship are facing much longer wait-times than just a couple of years ago. Immigration attorneys throughout Las Vegas are reporting that the process is now taking well over a year–four times longer than it did in early 2016. Longer application wait-times are plaguing legal permanent residents anxious to earn …

Nevada recently passed Senate Bill 159, which prohibits knowingly selling substances containing dextromethorphan to a minor (under 18 years old) without a valid prescription. Dextromethorphan (DXM or DM) is a common ingredient in such cough suppressants as NyQuil, Robitussin, Dimetapp, Benylin DM, Mucinex DM,Camydex-20  tablets, Vicks, Coricidin, Delsym, TheraFlu, and Cheracol D. Contrary to popular belief, dextromethorphan …

Prior to the Route 91 Harvest Festival massacre in Las Vegas this past weekend, most people probably would have considered screening luggage at hotels a tedious, expensive, and time-consuming ordeal that is not reasonably necessary. But now that each hotel’s room’s potential to double as a murderous sniper’s nest has been branded into the public …

Recently there has been a rash of lawsuits in which parents have accused Nevada teachers, school officials and school districts of abuse or causing serious injury to students. Some of these suits have made headlines – particularly in cases involving criminal activity, such as sexual assault. But even simple accidents and mistakes can leave students …

What you post on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or on any other social media can and will be used against you in a court of law. Reviewing Social Media is Standard Operating Procedure for Law Enforcement If you have been charged with a crime, or if police are conducting a pre-file investigation, they will scour the …

If you abuse or mistreat an animal in Las Vegas, be prepared to go to jail. Nevada animal cruelty laws make it clear that abuse, mistreatment, or neglect of animals in the state are treated very seriously. The consequences of a conviction for an offense involving animal cruelty in Las Vegas can include significant jail time, …

The legal alcohol limit in Reno/Sparks when you’re behind the wheel depends on who you are. The allowable blood alcohol concentration (BAC) levels for drivers in Nevada are different for drivers of passenger vehicles, for holders of commercial driver’s (CDL) licenses, and for those under 21 years-old. If your BAC is determined to be above …

Vehicle Code 23152 VC California’s DUI law and Penal Code 148 PC California’s “resisting arrest” law are frequently charged in the same criminal complaint. Often times a person who is intoxicated may be less inhibited than a sober person and may therefore feel more comfortable resisting or otherwise obstructing the officer who is trying to …

If you’ve been charged with a crime in Reno, Nevada, you have a right to a “speedy trial” under both the U.S. Constitution and Nevada law. But what you may think of as “speedy” may not be the same as what the law considers it to be for purposes of determining whether your rights have …

All criminal defendants in Clark County, Nevada have a constitutional right to a fair trial. When prosecutors violate legal and ethical rules in pursuit of a guilty verdict, that right is denied and can potentially be the basis for overturning a conviction. As the U.S. Supreme Court has said, a prosecutor’s interest “in a criminal …

If you are pulled over in North Las Vegas, Nevada and the officer suspects that you may be intoxicated, you will likely be asked to take a series of physical tests as the officer evaluates your condition. Field sobriety tests (FSTs), as they are known, are entirely subjective in that the determination as to whether you …

If you are facing criminal charges, you want your ordeal to be over with as quickly as possible. But do not let your desire for a quick resolution make you rush into entering a guilty plea. The consequences of pleading guilty to a crime in Nevada can last a lifetime. A Nevada plea bargain is …

The Juvenile Court handles cases involving minors who have been charged with a crime. Children who are charged with offenses that would be crimes if they were adults are classified as delinquents. Status offenders are those children who commit acts that are unlawful because of their age, such as truancy, incorrigibility, and runaway.  Status offenders …

If you have been found guilty of a Nevada crime, a punishment will be imposed upon you by a judge. The punishment for a criminal conviction is called a sentence. The court hearing where the judge gives you your sentence is called the Nevada sentence hearing. Nevada Revised Statutes 176.015 states that after a criminal …

Most people do not like the sight of litter. But did you know that in the state of Nevada, littering is not only a nuisance, is also a crime? There are local as well as state laws that prohibit the depositing of garbage and other unwholesome or hazardous materials on public and private property. Most …

If you are a legal alien in Nevada, you cannot be deported unless you plead guilty to, or are convicted of certain types of crimes. These crimes include aggravated felonies, drug crimes, firearm crimes, domestic violence crimes, or crimes moral turpitude. Aggravated Felonies There are several different kinds of Nevada crimes that qualify as aggravated felonies. Theft …

If a restraining order has been issued against you in Nevada, it is possible to get the restraining order lifted or dissolved. Only a Nevada court may lift or dissolve a Nevada restraining order, often referred to as a protection order in the state court system. A Nevada restraining order can only be lifted by …