Mike Castillo, Esq. – Las Vegas criminal defense attorney

Nevada attorney Michael V. Castillo practices appellate law, criminal defense, personal injury, and family law in Nevada. Just in the last couple of years, Mike was named to several prestigious attorney shortlists:

• Best Criminal Defense Firm Gold Winner in Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Annual Best of Las Vegas (2018 & 2017)
• Super Lawyers-rated Rising Star
• The National Trial Lawyers’ “Top 100” Criminal Defense Attorneys
• The American Institute of Criminal Law Attorneys’ “10 Best” Attorneys for Client Satisfaction
• Perfect 10 point score on AVVO

As a former extern with the Clark County District Attorney’s Office, he learned firsthand how “the other side” prosecutes cases. Now he’s able to “think like a prosecutor” and anticipate their strategies. Even Nevada’s police rely on Mike to defend them when their officers get into trouble… the Nevada Association of Public Safety Officers (NAPSO) is one of Las Vegas Defense Group’s standing clients.

As a criminal defense attorney, Mike has experience in motion practice at the trial and appellate levels in both criminal and juvenile courts.  Mike has represented clients in numerous matters including Traffic Tickets, DUI, Battery Domestic Violence, Shoplifting and Drug Crimes. He received advanced training on how to fight sexual assault cases (Savannah, GA, Oct. 2013).

Mike has also first or second-chaired numerous jury trials including a murder trial and an attempted murder trial. Mike has also successfully represented clients in post-conviction appeals in front of the Nevada Supreme Court and has two published opinions to date (State v. Gonzalez, 298 P. 3d 448; 129 Nev. Adv. Op. 22 (2013) and Barral v. State, 131 Nev. Adv. Op. 52 (2015)). Unlike many Nevada attorneys, Michael Castillo is a seasoned appellate lawyer and has experience doing oral arguments before the Nevada Supreme Court.

Mike tirelessly investigates the evidence in each criminal defense, personal injury, and family law case. He is always ready to go to trial. However, usually this preparation and tenacity allow him to secure favorable resolutions with opposing counsel that spare his clients the stress of a trial.

Prior to graduating magna cum laude from the Boyd School of Law at UNLV, Mike gained practical experience by clerking in the Henderson firm of Rands, South & Gardner as well as externing with the D.A’s office. Hailing from the Midwest, he received his B.A. in Education from The University of Michigan and preceded his legal career by teaching Social Studies and English in Detroit and Las Vegas.

Las Vegas criminal defense attorney Mike Castillo represents clients throughout Nevada with a focus on Clark County. He is a member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NADCL), the American Bar Association and the Clark County Bar Association. He lives in the Summerlin area with his wife.

Sample Case Results

• State v. M.C.
  

  Date: April 1, 2019
  Description: Client was originally charged with felony “battery with a deadly weapon causing substantial bodily harm” and felony “assault with a deadly weapon.” Michael Castillo negotiated a settlement following the preliminary hearing: Client would go on probation, and upon successful completion, his only conviction would be a gross misdemeanor (for discharging a firearm where a person might be endangered).
  Outcome: TWO FELONIES TO BE REDUCED TO ONE GROSS MISDEMEANOR.

• State v. A.H.
  

  Date: February 26, 2019
  Description: Client faced charges of “assault with a deadly weapon” and “discharging a firearm within a structure.”   Michael Castillo negotiated a resolution where the client plead guilty to the reduced charge of non-felony “attempt battery causing substantial bodily harm” and was sentenced to probation.
  Outcome: TWO FELONIES REDUCED TO ONE GROSS MISDEMEANOR.

• State v. L.B.
  

  Date: February 21, 2019
  Description: Client faced seven felony charges of lewdness with a child under 14 (which carry a possible sentence of 10 years-to-life in prison) as well as six gross misdemeanor charges of unlawful contact with a child. Michael Castillo negotiated a resolution where once Client finishes probation, his only conviction will be for the non-sexual offense of child abuse.
  Outcome: SEVEN LEWDNESS WITH A CHILD FELONIES AND SIX GROSS MISDEMEANORS REDUCED TO ONE NON-SEXUAL CHILD ABUSE CONVICTION.

• State v. J.S.
  

  Date: October 18, 2018
  Description: Client, who is in the Air Force, faced misdemeanor battery domestic violence charges. A conviction would have cost him his military career. The case went to a bench trial.
  Outcome: NOT GUILTY VERDICT FOR BATTERY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.

• City of Las Vegas v. J.B.
  

  Date: October 4, 2017
  Description: Client faced felony charges of drug possession. Entire case was dismissed with client completed some community service and drug counseling.
  Outcome: FELONY DRUG POSSESSION DISMISSED.

• State of NV v. N.D.
  

  Date: May 9, 2017
  Description: Client was taken into custody for allegedly violating his probation. He faced an extra year in jail. At the probation violation hearing, Michael Castillo convinced the court to release him from jail and reinstate his probation.
  Outcome: PROBATION REINSTATED.

• State of NV v. Linda C.
  

  Date: March 21, 2017
  Description: Client was convicted at trial in Las Vegas of attempted murder with a deadly weapon, battery domestic violence with a deadly weapon, stalking and bribery. Las Vegas Defense Group appealed to the Nevada Supreme Court that the judge made several mistakes that prejudiced the jury against our client. The Nevada Supreme Court agreed and reversed the convictions. Now our client may have a fair trial.
  Outcome: ATTEMPTED MURDER CONVICTION REVERSED; NEW TRIAL ORDERED.

  Listen to Michael Castillo deliver the winning oral argument to the Nevada Supreme Court

• State of NV v. Dustin B.

  

  The American Institute of Criminal Law Attorneys named Mike Castillo as a Top 10 attorney in Nevada.

  Date: July 23, 2015
  Description: Client was convicted at trial in Las Vegas of two counts of raping a child under 14. On appeal, he and attorney Michael Becker pointed out that the trial judge failed to administer the oath to the jury pool prior to voir dire (jury selection). The Nevada Supreme Court ruled that this serious error voided the verdict, and the Court reversed the convictions to make way for a new trial.
  Outcome: RAPE CONVICTIONS REVERSED; NEW TRIAL ORDERED.

• State of NV v. Leopoldo G.
  

  Date:  November 7, 2013
  Description:  Client was accused of sexual assault and lewdness with a minor under fourteen, which could have put him in prison for life.  After trial, the jury came back with a not guilty verdict for lewdness and a hung jury on rape. Then Mr. Castillo filed a motion with the District Court arguing that double jeopardy prevented the D.A. from retrying the rape charge. After the court rejected the motion, he filed a writ with the Nevada Supreme Court, which ultimately resulted in the rape charge being dismissed
  Outcome:  NOT GUILTY VERDICT & CHARGE DISMISSAL.

• State of NV v. Andry N.
  

  Date: May 24, 2013
  Description: Our client was accused of sexual assault in a hotel room. Both our client and the accuser were Russian. At trial Las Vegas Defense Group, L.L.C., argued that the accuser falsely accused our client in order to get a U visa as a victim of a crime, allowing her to stay in the U.S. The jury was hung (11-1 for “not guilty”), and the D.A. agreed to reduce the charge to a gross misdemeanor. Instead of spending decades in prison, our client was able to go back to his home in Russia right away.
  Outcome: HUNG JURY & CHARGE REDUCTION

• State of NV v. Aaron H.
  

  Date: January 7, 2013
  Description: Client was charged with rape. Las Vegas Defense Group presented evidence to the jury that the alleged victim consented to the charges.
  Outcome: NOT GUILTY VERDICT

• State of NV v. Linda C.
  

  Date: August 23, 2012
  Description: Client faced a charge for the Nevada crime of attempted murder and other serious felonies. Las Vegas Defense Group argued that the prosecution failed to inform the grand jury not to consider prejudicial evidence when deliberating over the charges.
  Outcome: CHARGE DISMISSED

• State of NV v. Tyson H.
  

  Date: August 30, 2012
  Description: Client faced a charge for the Nevada crime of battery domestic violence as a misdemeanor.  Las Vegas Defense Group brokered a deal where Tyson H. would pay a $345 fine, perform 48 hours of community service, and take 13 weeks of anger management counseling in return for the judge dropping the charges.
  Outcome: CHARGE DISMISSED

• State of NV v. Erica T.
  

  Date: July 26, 2012
  Description: Client was charged with the Nevada crime of battery domestic violence as a misdemeanor.
  Outcome: CHARGE DISMISSED

• State of NV v. Christian P.
  

  Date: March 26, 2012
  Description: Client was charged with the Nevada crime of battery with a deadly weapon and the Nevada crime of battery with substantial bodily harm. At trial Las Vegas Defense Group made the argument to the jury that Christian P. did not start the fight.
  Outcome: NOT GUILTY VERDICTS

• State of NV v. John R.
  

  Date: November 21, 2011
  Description: Client faced a life sentence on charges of conspiring to commit the Nevada crime of kidnapping. Las Vegas Defense Group made the argument to the jury that John R. wasn’t sober enough to realize the co-conspirators’ intentions.
  Outcome: NOT GUILTY VERDICT