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.
24/7 Help:
(702) 333-3673
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
Nevada’s grand larceny penalties depend on the value of the stolen property:
Note that stealing a firearm is always prosecuted as a category B felony, no matter the gun’s value. Penalties for “grand larceny of a firearm” include 1 to 10 years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines plus restitution.2
Also note that stealing a motor vehicle is always a felony, no matter the car’s worth. A first-time conviction of “grand larceny of a motor vehicle” is a category C felony carrying 1 to 5 years in prison and up to $10,000 plus restitution. And successive convictions are category B felonies, punishable by 1 to 6 years in prison and up to $5,000 in fines plus restitution.3
Also called grand theft, grand larceny is intentionally stealing cash or property worth $1,200 or more. Examples of grand theft include shoplifting, taking furniture from hotel rooms, or stealing pets or livestock.4
In shoplifting cases, the value of the property is the sticker price that the store used. In other cases – such as stealing items from someone’s home or office – courts will attribute the highest reasonable value to the property.5
Ten potential defenses to Nevada grand larceny charges are:
Typical evidence in grand larceny cases includes video surveillance video, eyewitness accounts, recorded communications, and the allegedly stolen property itself. If the case goes to trial and the district attorney fails to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, the charge should be dismissed.
Grand larceny convictions cannot be sealed for the first five years after the case ends. But if the charge gets dismissed, then the criminal record can be sealed right away.6
Learn how to seal Nevada criminal records.
Petty larceny (NRS 205.240) is intentionally stealing less than $1,200 worth of property. A misdemeanor, petty theft carries up to six months in jail and/or $1,000 in fines, plus restitution.
Petty larceny convictions can be sealed one year after the case ends.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.