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.
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Yes, and spousal rape (NRS 200.373) is punished the same as rape /sexual assault (NRS 200.366) of a non-spouse in Nevada. However, the law seems to indicate that marital rape a illegal only when force or threats of force are used. In contrast, a non-spouse can be convicted of rape even if no force or threats of force are use – all that matters is that the victim did not give consent or was too incapacitated to give consent, such as if the spouse was sleeping or heavily intoxicated.
Rape is a serious felony crime carrying a possible life sentence without parole. Potential defenses to spousal rape allegations are that the defendant was falsely accused or that no penetrative sex occurred.
Spousal rape is when one spouse employs use of force – or threats of force – to have sexual penetration with the other. NRS 200.373 states that “it is no defense to a charge of sexual assault that the perpetrator was, at the time of the assault, married to the victim, if the assault was committed by force or by the threat of force.”
So if one spouse penetrates his/her sleeping spouse, this is arguably not rape under state law because no force or threats of force were used. In short, it might not matter that there was no mutual matrimonial consent since the awake spouse was not being violent or threatening. (But if the sleeping spouse wakes and objects, it would definitely be rape for the other spouse to continue with the sex act by using force or threats of force.)
There is no case law in Nevada regarding spousal rape, so it is unclear how exactly courts interpret NRS 200.373.
Three possible defense arguments that Nevada criminal defense lawyers may use in spousal rape cases are:
Note that simply being married is not a consent to rape charges. There is no marital rape exemption or loophole other than that the rape must involve force or threats of force.
Marital rape is a category A felony under Nevada law. If the victim spouse sustained substantial bodily harm (NRS 0.060), then the punishment is:
Otherwise, the sentence for violating marital sexual assault laws is life in prison with the possibility of parole after 10 years.
Either way, the defendant upon conviction would need to register as a Tier III sex offender (NRS 179D.117) for life.
Note that sexual assault also carries lifetime supervision under NRS 176.0931. However, it may be possible to end it after 10 years.
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.