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.
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The Nevada DMV is supposed to mail license-holders a letter informing them when and why the DMV will be suspending their license. The letter will also indicate how long the license holder has to request a DMV hearing to contest the license suspension.
If the license holder requests a DMV hearing in time, the license holder may continue driving pending the results of the DMV hearing. If the license holder does not request a DMV hearing in time (or at all), then the DMV will suspend the license on the date indicated in the letter.
Additionally, people can always call the Nevada DMV at (702) 486-4368 to check on their license status. Please read our article on how to avoid a driver’s license suspension in Nevada.
DMV hearings are administrative trials where license holders contest the DMV’s decision to suspend their license. They occur at the DMV, and an administrative judge presides over the hearing.1
During a DMV hearing, the license holder (or his/her attorney) can present evidence and cross-examine the state’s witnesses. In most cases, the only state witness that appears is the police officer that originally cited or arrested the defendant for the traffic offense.2
In recent years, most DMV hearings can be conducted telephonically without either the defense attorney or state witness appearing in person.
Learn about DMV hearings in Nevada DUI cases.
Many circumstances may cause the Nevada DMV to temporarily revoke a person’s driver’s license. These include:
In addition, various medical conditions can cause the DMV to suspend a person’s license for safety reasons. Some of these include:
Yes. In Nevada, it is a misdemeanor to drive while one’s driver’s license is suspended or revoked. The penalty includes:
But if the reason for the suspension was a DUI arrest, then the penalties for driving on a suspended license is:
Learn more about the Nevada crime of driving on a suspended license under NRS 483.560.
It depends on the type of case. Sometimes the driver has to take a written or vision test.
DUI defendants have to get an ignition interlock device installed.
And all drivers whose licenses have been suspended or revoked for more than a year have to take a driving skills test.
Either way, it is the responsibility of the driver (or driver’s lawyer) to contact the DMV and fill out the proper paperwork.6
For specific instructions, call the Nevada DMV headquarters at 775 684-4368. Note that drivers still have to go through the reinstatement process even if he/she gets cleared of all criminal charges.
See our related articles, Nevada Driving Record – How do I get it and what does it show?, How do I reinstate a revoked license in Nevada?, and Who reports seizures to the DMV in Nevada?
A former Los Angeles prosecutor, attorney Neil Shouse graduated with honors from UC Berkeley and Harvard Law School (and completed additional graduate studies at MIT). He has been featured on CNN, Good Morning America, Dr Phil, The Today Show and Court TV. Mr Shouse has been recognized by the National Trial Lawyers as one of the Top 100 Criminal and Top 100 Civil Attorneys.