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.
Call Us NowPosted on
Las Vegas residents whose neighbors play their music too loud can take various non-legal, criminal, or civil courses of action, discussed below. In any event, residents should compile evidence of the noisy music, such as:
No matter what route the resident takes, this evidence may be vital in proving that the neighbors are committing noise pollution.
In most cases, Las Vegas residents can simply ask their neighbors to turn down the music. The neighbors may be genuinely unaware that they are causing noise pollution.
If the neighborhood is an HOA community, Las Vegas residents can also report the noisy neighbors to the HOA. Then a member of the HOA board could reach out to the neighbors and remind them to quiet down. The HOA can even threaten the neighbors with fines if they do not comply. In Nevada, homeowners risk losing their home if they do not pay their HOA dues.
If the noisy neighbors are leasing the property, the resident can always ask the neighbors’ landlord or property manager to reason with them. Tenants may take noise complaints more seriously if they hear it from their property owner than from a neighbor.
When a neighbor’s music is too loud, a resident can call the Las Vegas non-emergency police line: 311. Then a police officer would be dispatched to deal with the neighbors. Often police will give them only a warning at first in the hopes that the neighbors will willingly turn down the volume (a “voluntary abatement”).
Alternatively, the resident can file a “code enforcement complaint” with the Clark County Public Response Office (PRO). The resident can make the complaint either by calling (702) 455-4191 or filing online. A PRO official would then investigate the matter and warn the neighbor to quiet down.
If the music is coming from a short-term rental house, the city of Las Vegas has a dedicated hotline that residents can call: (702) 229-3500.
If the situation becomes untenable, residents can also consider filing a police report with the LVMPD against the noisy neighbors for either:
Metro would then investigate the report and determine whether to bring charges against the neighbor. If the police press charges for either breach of peace or criminal nuisance, the neighbors would face the following misdemeanor penalties:
If the police press charges for noise pollution, the neighbor could also be prosecuted for a misdemeanor. The penalty carries no jail, but the fines increase which each successive citation:
Las Vegas residents also have the option of suing their noisy neighbors in civil court for either of the following causes of action:
As plaintiffs, residents have the burden to prove a cause of action “by the preponderance of the evidence.” This means that is more likely than not that the noisy neighbors (defendants) committed the wrongdoing.
Plaintiffs can sue for monetary damages and/or “injunctive relief.” An injunction is a court order for the defendant to do something, such as to stop playing music too loud.
Most lawsuits settle out of court; often the parties can come to an agreement through negotiation or a formal mediation.
In order to prevail in a Nevada negligence claim for playing music too loud, the resident would need to prove that:
In order to prevail in a Nevada nuisance claim for playing music too loud, the resident would need to prove that:
In order to prevail in a Nevada intrusion claim for playing music too loud, the resident would need to prove that:
In order to prevail in a Nevada emotional distress claim for playing music too loud, the resident would need to prove that:
For more information, click on our 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.