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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Life without parole (LWOP) is Nevada’s harshest criminal punishment short of the death penalty. Though in both cases, the result is dying in prison.
The following category A felonies potentially carry life in Nevada State Prison with no possibility of getting released:
In Nevada, first-degree murder is any type of willful, deliberate and premeditated killing. First-degree murder also comprises felony murder, which is an unintentional homicide committed in the perpetration of either:
Less common types of first-degree murder are homicides committed:
LWOP is only one of the potential punishments for first-degree murder. The others include:
In Nevada, first-degree kidnapping is willfully confining, abducting, or concealing a person with the intent to hold or detain them:
First-degree kidnapping also comprises enticing, carrying away or detaining a child under 18 years old with the intent to:
LWOP is the harshest punishment for first-degree kidnapping when the victim suffers substantial bodily harm. Alternatively, the court has the discretion to impose:
In Nevada, sexual assault is:
LWOP is the harshest possible punishment for sexual assault causing substantial bodily harm. Otherwise, the court will order life in prison with the possibility of parole after 15 years.3
LWOP is the only available sentence for a second or subsequent offense of sexually assaulting a child under 16. It makes no difference whether the prior conviction occurred in Nevada or another jurisdiction.4
In Nevada, “battery” means any willful and unlawful use of force or violence upon another person, such as punching, stabbing, or poisoning.
LWOP is the harshest punishment available for battery with intent to commit sexual assault and where the victim was strangled or sustained substantial bodily harm. Otherwise, the court will impose life in prison with the possibility of parole after 10 years.5
Before you can be sentenced for a crime in Nevada, you are entitled to a sentencing hearing. This is your opportunity to present “mitigating evidence” to persuade the judge to grant you a sentence on the lower end of the penalty range.
Common mitigating evidence I introduce during sentencing hearings includes:
In many cases, I can negotiate with prosecutors beforehand and come to an agreement on a laxer sentence. As long as the prosecution is on board, judges usually “rubber stamp” our sentencing request.
For more in-depth information, refer to these scholarly articles:
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.