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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Five of the most common theft crimes under Nevada law are:
Below our Las Vegas criminal defense attorneys discuss the laws, penalties, and common defenses for each of these theft crimes.
Stealing less than $1,200 worth of merchandise from a Nevada store is prosecuted as petit larceny (also called petty theft or petty larceny). This misdemeanor offense carries restitution and up to:
Meanwhile, wrongfully taking $1,200 or more of goods from a store is prosecuted as grand larceny. The penalties turn on the value of the stolen property:
Value of the property | Grand larceny punishment in Nevada |
---|---|
$1,200 to less than $5,000 | category D felony
|
$5,000 to less than $25,000 | category C felony
|
$25,000 to less than $100,000 | category B felony
|
$100,000 or more | category B felony
|
Typical defense strategies in larceny cases are to show the district attorney that:
See our related article on grand larceny of a firearm (NRS 205.226).
Embezzlement is when a person takes property or money that they were entrusted with by the rightful owner. A common example is a cashier pocketing money from the cash register or a jewelry store employee swiping some of the inventory.
The penalties for embezzlement in Nevada are identical to those for petty theft and grand theft described above. Whether it is a misdemeanor or a felony turns on the value of the property.
The most common embezzlement defense is that you had no intent to steal the property. Perhaps you simply forgot to return the property, or you took it without realizing it.2
Entering any vehicle or structure with the intent to commit larceny while inside is prosecuted as burglary in Nevada. You can be prosecuted even if you get caught before you steal any personal property.
The penalties for burglary depend on where it allegedly occurred:
Location of the burglary |
Nevada penalties* |
Home | Category B felony
|
Business | Category C felony
|
Other structure | Category D felony
|
Automobile |
First offense
Subsequent offense Category D felony
|
*If you had a deadly weapon, then burglary will always be charged as a category B felony. The sentence is 2 to 15 years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines (at the court’s discretion). |
Common burglary defenses are:
Stealing a car is always a felony in Nevada. A first offense of grand theft auto is a category C felony, carrying:
Meanwhile, a second vehicle larceny offense in five years is a category B felony. The sentence is:
Ways to raise a reasonable doubt in auto theft charges are to show that:
The most serious theft crime in Nevada, robbery is defined as taking property from someone by using violence, force, or fear of injury. The classic robbery scenario is a “hold up” where someone pulls a gun on another person and demands their wallet.
Robbery is always a category B felony. If there was no deadly weapon or tear gas involved, the penalty is two to 15 years in prison. Otherwise, the judge will impose an additional one-to-15-year sentence.
Three common defenses to robbery criminal charges are:
If you are facing larceny charges, contact our Nevada criminal law firm for legal advice. Our criminal defense lawyers fight all types of theft cases, as well as DUI and domestic violence charges, in Clark County and throughout the state of Nevada.
Our theft attorneys also handle criminal record sealing of misdemeanors, gross misdemeanors, and felonies so your background checks come back clear.
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.