Sarah Edwards is a seasoned legal writer with more than a decade of experience. Edwards has a deep understanding of advanced legal concepts and a knack for conveying complex topics in simple language. She currently resides in Southern California with her husband and two children.
Sarah Edwards
Sarah Edwards is a seasoned legal writer with more than a decade of experience. Edwards has a deep understanding of advanced legal concepts and a knack for conveying complex topics in simple language. She currently resides in Southern California with her husband and two children.
Jeffrey Johnson has written novels and movies in addition to legal analyses of eminent domain and immigration law. His experience in writing engaging fiction makes him uniquely capable of making the most dry and academic legal topics interesting (or as interesting as possible).
Reviewed
Jeffrey Johnson, J.D.
Jeffrey Johnson has written novels and movies in addition to legal analyses of eminent domain and immigration law. His experience in writing engaging fiction makes him uniquely capable of making the most dry and academic legal topics interesting (or as interesting as possible).
Editorial Note: We earn a commission from partner links on Forbes Advisor. Commissions do not affect our editors' opinions or evaluations.
Las Vegas is home to more gambling than just about the rest of the country combined. However, if you are arrested for a criminal charge in Las Vegas, you can’t afford to gamble with your liberty. You need the help of criminal defense lawyers in Las Vegas who have experience protecting defendants’ rights.
This guide will help you find the right lawyer to protect yourself.
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Show Summary
- Best Criminal Defense Attorneys in Las Vegas
- Compare Top Criminal Defense Attorneys
- What Is a Criminal Defense Lawyer?
- Understanding the Legal Process for Criminal Cases
- Expungement in Nevada
- How to Choose the Best Criminal Lawyer in Las Vegas, NV
- Las Vegas Criminal Defense Resources
- Methodology
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Best Criminal Defense Attorneys in Las Vegas
Compare Top Criminal Defense Attorneys
What Is a Criminal Defense Lawyer?
When someone is charged with a crime in the U.S., they are not immediately thrown in jail. The U.S. justice system requires the government to provide due process to anyone accused of a crime. In practice, this typically means that the U.S. government must prove their guilt in a court of law judged by a jury of their peers.
The Sixth Amendment to the Constitution guarantees that anyone facing criminal charges has the right to be represented by counsel. Criminal defense lawyers in Las Vegas are Nevada attorneys who mostly or exclusively focus on providing representation to people charged with crimes within the jurisdiction of Las Vegas.
Public Defender vs. Private Criminal Attorney
The Sixth Amendment to the Constitution guarantees you representation by a criminal defense attorney if you are charged with a crime. Does that mean you can hire any lawyer, and the U.S. government will pay for it? No. The government only provides public defenders to those who can’t afford a private attorney.
In Nevada, any defendant in a criminal case, regardless of whether they are charged with a felony or misdemeanor, is eligible to be assigned a public defender if they are indigent. Nevada also provides indigent people with a public defender when facing parole hearings, involuntary commitments, and parental termination petitions.
A Nevada court will determine whether a person is indigent. Furthermore, in Nevada, if you make enough money within six years of receiving services from a public defender, you either need to pay back the cost or do community service.
Should You Represent Yourself in a Criminal Case?
Because laws are complex and the legal system is difficult to navigate, having an attorney represent you is generally a good idea, particularly when you face jail time or fines.
Understanding the Legal Process for Criminal Cases
The government must give due process to anyone charged with a crime. This concept has evolved into a legal process that differs by state. That legal process in Nevada typically involves the following steps:
- Obtaining a warrant. This optional step occurs when the district attorney believes they have enough evidence to arrest someone. They either present that information to a judge to receive a warrant or to a grand jury to get an indictment, which is then presented to a judge to get a warrant.
- Arrest. A police officer may arrest someone if they have probable cause to believe they committed a crime or if a warrant has been issued.
- Bail. The police can’t hold a defendant indefinitely. Shortly after an arrest, a judge will determine whether bail is appropriate and its value. Once it is paid, the defendant is free until the trial ends, as long as they attend all hearings.
- Arraignment. During the arraignment, the defendant is advised of all charges and must enter a plea of guilty or not guilty. This is when a defendant can request a public defender if indigent.
- Pre-trial actions. Before the trial begins, attorneys share evidence with each other (and the court), make motions to affect how the trial will be run, and discuss plea bargains. If a plea bargain is reached, the trial is skipped, and the process goes straight to sentencing.
- Trial. During the trial, attorneys for both sides present evidence to a jury. The jury must unanimously agree to the outcome of the trial, or the trial will end in a hung jury.
- Sentencing. The judge will give penalties to the defendant for any charge they were found guilty of or pleaded guilty to.
Resolving a Criminal Case in Nevada
Judges are limited on what penalties they can apply to defendants. If a plea bargain was agreed to, typically, they will respect the penalties agreed to in that bargain. Otherwise, the judge is limited by the sentencing guidelines of Nevada.
For example, jail sentences in Nevada are limited to a maximum of six months for misdemeanors, one year for gross misdemeanors, and life in prison for felonies. Nevada also allows the death penalty for some crimes.
Expungement in Nevada
Nevada won’t expunge records of criminal activity, but it will seal those records. All convictions can be sealed except for sexual offenses, crimes against children and felony DUIs. The defendant must wait between one and 10 years after conviction, depending on the charges, to get a record sealed.
How to Choose the Best Criminal Lawyer in Las Vegas, NV
There are hundreds of criminal defense lawyers in Las Vegas. How can you find the best one for your case? When looking through this list of the best Las Vegas criminal defense lawyers, consider the following factors before making your decision:
- Experience with charges common in Las Vegas. Certain types of charges, like aviation-related and gaming-related charges, are more common in Las Vegas than other locations. If facing one of these types of charges, look for Las Vegas criminal defense lawyers with experience in those areas.
- Past results. Evaluate the attorney’s success rate and the outcomes they have obtained in cases similar to yours.
- Trial experience. If your case is going to trial, you want Las Vegas criminal defense lawyers who have spent much time in the courtroom.
Las Vegas Criminal Defense Resources
- Court records requests in Nevada
- Clark County Public Defender’s Office phone number: 702-455-4685
- Information for sealing a record
- Clark County Sheriff
- Clark County Police phone number: 702-455-0000
Methodology
To come up with the criminal defense lawyers in Las Vegas of 2024, Forbes Advisor considered many factors. Forbes Advisor’s mathematical analysis considers and weighs the information collected to calculate a specific rating and reviews these results to find the best attorneys in a given practice area.
Within the model, we take into account factors that legal professionals and consumers value in an attorney’s qualifications. After assigning weighted scores to hundreds of data points, we narrowed the field down to our top choices based on:
- Legal experience
- Special licenses and certifications
- Ethics and bar disciplinary measures
- Legal thought leadership
- Education and employment background
- Scholarly lectures and writings
- Awards and honors
Forbes Advisor collects public data from a variety of sources, including state bar associations, court records and other published sources on the internet. This information should not be considered comprehensive, however. It might not include additional relevant information on an attorney’s legal skills and experience.
Each lawyer listed here has their own merits. Bear in mind that our list relates to these lawyers’ legal backgrounds but does not evaluate their personalities or their knowledge of the law. One attorney may be more suitable than another for your specific legal situation.
One thing that can’t be quantified, though, is the rapport you establish with your attorney. Personality goes a long way when teaming up with an attorney, especially when going through a potentially difficult legal situation. These rankings should serve as a reference and potential starting point in your search for the right lawyer for you and your legal concerns.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the average cost for criminal defense lawyers in Las Vegas?
The average cost of Nevada criminal defense lawyers is $154 per hour. For easy cases, that may cost you a few thousand dollars. For extremely complex cases, you could be facing a five- or six-digit bill.
How can I pay bail in Las Vegas?
Las Vegas does not have consistent bail procedures. Instead, it differs between jail and detention centers. For example, at the Clark County Detention Center, there is a limit of $10,000 on cash bail, and it only accepts Visa and MasterCard if you’re paying by credit card. Cashier’s checks and money orders are also acceptable.
Las Vegas City Jail, however, only accepts credit cards (Visa, MasterCard and Discover) and cash.
Will I lose my right to vote if convicted?
You will only lose your right to vote if you are convicted of a felony and only for as long as you are in prison. As soon as you are released, your right to vote is restored without the need for further action.
