If you find yourself pulled over by a Nevada police officer, the police are not violating your constitutional rights by telling you to exit your car. Irrespective of whether you think the traffic stop was justified, you are usually not within your rights to decline a police officer’s order to exit your car. We all …
No, not Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird. Our choice for the top literary lawyer of all-time technically isn’t even a lawyer. Nor is she a man, a requirement for the practice of law in William Shakespeare’s day. We’re talking about Portia from Shakespeare’s play The Merchant of Venice. The Merchant of Venice, one …
If you are facing criminal charges in Las Vegas, you should explore your options for legal representation before going with a Las Vegas public defender. “You have the right to an attorney. If you can’t afford an attorney, one will be appointed to represent you…” You may be familiar with this portion of the Miranda …
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, …
Hit-and-run in Reno is a serious offense. The consequences of leaving an accident scene or failing to lend assistance to others who may be injured can result in stiff penalties, including jail time. There are actually many different hit-and-run laws. Whether you are charged with a misdemeanor or a felony largely depends on whether the …
Distracted driving is a serious safety issue in Henderson, Nevada and throughout the state. Driving while distracted causes more than 3,500 accidents every year on Nevada’s roads and highways according to the Nevada Department of Transportation and Nevada Department of Public Safety. Most of the attention on distracted driving, and the focus of Nevada’s distracted driving …
A “Ponzi scheme” in Las Vegas, Nevada is a complex type of financial fraud that, when it collapses and is exposed, can lead to serious criminal charges and decades behind bars. As defined and described by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, a Ponzi scheme is: “an investment fraud that involves the payment of purported returns …
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 …
If you are under the age of 21 and decide to try your luck in a Las Vegas casino, you are committing a criminal offense and could lose more than a few chips if you’re convicted. The legal age for gambling in the state of Nevada is 21. NRS 463.350 provides that a person under …
Every few months it seems, there is a story in the news about someone calling 911 to complain about a pizza delivery order or for some other reason which is clearly not an emergency. Individuals also will call 911 to falsely report an emergency, also known as “swatting.” If you call 911 in Reno, Nevada …
When someone has been accused or convicted of domestic violence in Washoe County, Nevada, a judge may enter a restraining order prohibiting the accused from having contact with their accuser or other individuals, among other limits that can be placed on their conduct. If that restraining order is violated, that violation is a separate criminal …
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 or someone you know in Henderson, Nevada is a “hoarder,” criminal charges can be added to the pile of problems created by this challenging mental illness. The Mayo Clinic defines “hoarding disorder” as: “a persistent difficulty discarding or parting with possessions because of a perceived need to save them. A person with hoarding …
If you rob a liquor store, clothing boutique, or most other businesses in Reno, Nevada, you will face charges and possible conviction under Nevada’s robbery statute. Robbery, like most crimes, is usually governed by state criminal law. However, if you rob certain places or individuals in Reno, you could actually face federal criminal charges. If …
A first-time DUI in Henderson, Nevada is usually prosecuted as a misdemeanor, presuming no one was seriously hurt or killed. In addition to a fine of up to $1,000, vehicle impoundment, license revocation, DUI school or substance abuse treatment, and other Nevada DUI penalties, you will wind up spending a minimum of 48 hours in the Clark …
It is not unheard of for criminal defendants to refuse to enter a plea when asked by a judge to do so. A recent example is the Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy, who refused to enter a plea in federal court to criminal charges that he that he led an armed standoff against federal agents in …
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 …
Getting together with friends in Las Vegas can be fun. Getting together with friends to commit (or just plan to commit) a crime in Las Vegas can be a conspiracy, a serious offense that can lead to significant jail time. Agreement to Commit a Crime is a Crime Criminal conspiracy in Las Vegas is an …
People in Reno, like people everywhere else in the world, can make bad choices when they’re drunk. Sometimes, that choice (whether or not it seemed like a choice at the time) includes committing a criminal offense, such as battery arising from a fight. But is intoxication a defense to battery or other criminal charges in …
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 …
Except for the most violent crimes, if you committed a crime in Reno, Nevada a long time ago, you may be in the clear. Most criminal offenses in Nevada have statutes of limitations. Such statutes set forth the time within which prosecutors must file charges for a criminal offense. If a statute of limitations has …
You’ve been charged with a Nevada misdemeanor in Reno. You believe, correctly, that misdemeanors are generally less serious offenses than felonies. But if you believe that because it’s “just” a misdemeanor you don’t face the possibility of jail time, you are sadly mistaken. While an experienced Reno, Nevada criminal defense attorney usually can help you avoid …
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 …
Palm Springs, California is home to a large population of retirees and seniors. Crimes against Palm Springs seniors are treated with particular harshness under California law – and by the Riverside County District Attorney’s office. Special provisions in California’s criminal law are focused on the physical, financial, and emotional harm done to seniors. A Palm …
If you provide someone in Las Vegas with an illegal drug, whether it be heroin, meth, or a prescription painkiller that’s not theirs and they die as a result, you could wind up in prison for murder. NRS § 453.333 provides that: If the death of a person is proximately caused by a controlled substance …
