In this section, our attorneys explain Nevada’s criminal laws and legal concepts, A to Z
Criminal Law A to Z
In this section, our attorneys explain Nevada’s criminal laws and legal concepts, A to Z
Crimes by NRS Section
Every crime in Nevada is based in a section of the Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS). For each crime, our attorneys explain the laws, penalties and best defenses to fight the charge.
Nevada DUI
Getting arrested for DUI does not mean you will be convicted. Police misconduct, defective breathalyzers and crime lab mistakes may be enough to get your charges lessened or dismissed. Visit our page on Nevada DUI Laws to learn more.
Post-Conviction
Even if you’ve already been convicted of a crime, there is still much you can do to seal your record and restore your rights. Our attorneys explain how.
Please note: Our firm only handles criminal and DUI cases, and only in California. We do not handle any of the following cases:
And we do not handle any cases outside of California.
Call Us NowCrimes committed by military personnel on Nellis Air Force Base are considered violations of federal law. Members of the military stationed at Nellis AFB who commit a crime while off-base may be prosecuted by either military or civilian authorities. In rare cases, they can be prosecuted by both.
Usually, however, the authorities will come to an agreement, and the person stationed at or assigned to AFB will be prosecuted under either
but not both.
Meanwhile, civilians who commit a crime while visiting the base are not subject to military law or jurisdiction. They will be turned over to the appropriate civilian law enforcement agency, usually the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD).
Unfortunately, people stationed at Nellis AFB cannot be defended in criminal cases by the legal assistance attorneys at Nellis AFB. That’s where we come in. Our federal and Nevada criminal defense lawyers are versed in all aspects of Nevada and federal criminal law and procedure.
If you are stationed at Nellis AFB and are charged by civilian authorities, we can help you fight your Nevada or federal criminal charges. We can also defend you if you are a civilian accused of a crime while visiting Nellis.
To help you learn more about crimes committed by members of the military or those visiting Nellis AFB, our Las Vegas, Nevada criminal lawyers discuss the following, below:
Nellis AFB falls within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States.1 It is sometimes referred to as a “federal enclave” of the United States.
Crimes committed on Nellis AFB by military personnel are, therefore, usually
Civilians who commit a crime at Nellis Air Force Base will be turned over to
If it is unknown who committed a crime, the LVMPD will often investigate along with Nellis Air Force Base security.3 Regardless of who investigates, if prosecution against a civilian is warranted, it will be handled by
Crimes committed by military personnel while in Las Vegas or other off-base locations within Nevada fall within the concurrent jurisdiction of military and civilian authorities. These offenses can be investigated and researched by either military or local law enforcement or both.
As a practical matter, however, agencies having concurrent jurisdiction will usually come to an agreement about which one is going to handle the matter. In significant cases, investigation and prosecution may be turned over to the
Under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, those subject to military jurisdiction include (but are not limited to):
The “Double Jeopardy” clause of the Fifth Amendment prevents people from being tried twice for the same crime. It applies to both state and federal prosecutions, including those by court-martial.
However, if the crime is defined under the UCMJ (as opposed to just adopting Nevada law) and the elements and punishment are even slightly different, the double jeopardy bar may not apply.
As a matter of policy, however, most military personnel tried by a civilian court will not be tried for the same offense by court-martial.
However, if you are prosecuted by the Clark County D.A. or another civilian authority, you may still face
You will rarely face court-martial, however, unless you request it instead of Article 15 punishment.
If you drive while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs while on Nellis AFB and you fall within military jurisdiction, you will be subject to prosecution by court-martial. The penalties for DUI on the base will generally be the same as Nevada DUI penalties.
An exception, however, is DUI with a minor child in the car. Nevada law imposes extra DUI penalties when a child 14 or younger is in the car with you. Under 18 U.S. Code 13(b)(2), you receive extra punishment when the child is under 18.
Accordingly, if you are a member of the military and you drive while under the influence at Nellis AFB with a child aged 15, 16 or 17 in the car, you face penalties in addition to those which Nevada DUI law imposes. These can include a significant fine and an extra term of imprisonment of:
Nellis Air Force Base is an 11,300-acre complex located in Clark County Nevada, just 13 miles northeast of the Las Vegas Strip.
The base is a small town in and of itself. In addition to six wings (aviation units), the base houses
Power on the base is generated almost entirely by the Nellis AFB solar array.
Part of Nellis AFB is a census-designated place (CDP) that includes military family housing, dormitories, and temporary aircrew lodging. As of the 2010 United States Census, the Nellis CDP had a population of 3,626 people.
Nellis AFB also supports operations at nearby Creech Air Force Base, Tonopah Test Range, and the Nevada National Security Site.
In 1941, at the height of World War II, the city of Las Vegas purchased an airstrip from commercial airline Western Air Express, which it leased to the Army for $10. By October, the site had been renamed the Las Vegas Army Air Field.
In 1947, Congress created the Air Force. Three years later, the Las Vegas Army Air Field was renamed Nellis Air Force Base, after a local P-47 pilot who died during the Battle of the Bulge.