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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Once a person’s Nevada criminal record is sealed, it no longer comes up in his/her background checks. And the person can legally deny ever having been arrested or convicted if asked, even under oath.
In contrast, Nevada pardons have no effect on the person’s criminal records, and past cases will still come up on background checks. Still, having a pardon can better the person’s prospects for employment, housing, and other opportunities.[1]
Both Nevada record seals and pardons restore a convicted felon’s rights to vote, serve on a jury, and hold office. But note that convicted felons can automatically regain these rights without a record seal or pardon if they wait long enough…
The rights to vote and serve on a criminal jury is restored after the person completes his/her sentence (As of July 1, 2019, non-violent felons can vote upon their release from prison, and violent felons can vote after two years.). The right to hold public office is restored four (4) years after the case ends. And the right to serve on a criminal jury is restored six (6) years after the sentence ends.
Note that a pardon does not restore civil rights if the applicant has been convicted in Nevada of:
Record seals can never restore gun rights in Nevada. Pardons are the only way to restore a person’s rights to own and possess a gun, and not all pardons do restore gun rights.[3]
There are statutorily-designated waiting periods before people may receive a record seal or pardon for their past convictions in Nevada. The more severe the offense, the longer the waiting period:
Nevada conviction |
Waiting period to get a record seal or pardon (after the case ends) |
Most misdemeanors | Seal: 1 year (DUIs have a 7-year waiting period)
Pardon: Most misdemeanors are not eligible for pardons |
Gross misdemeanors | Seal: 2 years
Pardon: Most gross misdemeanors are not eligible for pardons |
Misdemeanor battery domestic violence | Seal: 7 years
Pardon: 5 years |
Category E felonies | Seal: 2 years
Pardon: 6 years |
Category D and C felonies | Seal: 5 years
Pardon: 8 or 9 years |
Category B felonies | Seal: 5 years
Pardon: 8 or 10 years |
Category A felonies | Seal: 10 years
Pardon: 12 years |
Record seal wait times are set in stone; in contrast, it may be possible to get a pardon early if the application includes compelling reasons why the Pardons Board should overlook the waiting time requirement.[4]
Any Nevada offense can be sealed except for:
Meanwhile, the Nevada Pardons Board typically pardons only felonies and battery domestic violence.
So in sum, any misdemeanor can be sealed. But misdemeanors are rarely pardoned except for battery domestic violence.[5]
Applying for a record seal in Nevada requires five main steps:
It is very rare for courts to hold a hearing about whether to grant a record seal.
Meanwhile, applying for a pardon requires two main steps:
Unlike pardons, sealing records very rarely requires a hearing.[6]
Record seals are much easier to get than pardons in Nevada. Judges virtually always sign off on a record seal as long as the petitioner meets all the eligibility requirements (see section 4). But the Pardons Board grants very few pardons, even if the applicant seems eligible.
In short, the process of granting a pardon is far more subjective than that of getting a record seal.
From beginning to end, both the record seal and pardon processes can take several weeks to several months.
Note that the Pardons Board meets only a few times a year, whereas judges can review record seal petitions year round.
The cost of applying for a record seal varies from court to court. In general, the total cost from beginning to end is about $150.
Applying for a pardon is cheaper than for a seal. The only costs are for 1) a notary, and 2) postage to mail the documents to the Pardons Board. Note that there is no postage if the applicant submits the form online.
If a judge declines to sign an order to seal, the petitioner has to wait two (2) years before submitting another order to seal. If the judge rejects it again, the petitioner may not submit any more orders.
If the Pardons Board declines to grant a pardon, the applicant may not apply again unless:
Therefore, people have only two opportunities to get a record seal. Meanwhile, there is no set maximum for submitting a pardon application, but the Board will not consider it without meeting the aforementioned conditions.[7]
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.