Misdemeanors in Las Vegas Drug
Understanding Misdemeanors in Southern Nevada
In Nevada, a misdemeanor is defined as a crime with a potential jail sentence not to exceed 6 months and a fine not to exceed $1,000. A misdemeanor is less severe than a felony, which carries a potential prison sentence of 1 year or more. A misdemeanor can be a crime as simple as a traffic ticket or as serious as batter constituting domestic violence. Some misdemeanors typically carry only a fine, while others require mandatory jail time if a person is convicted.
A misdemeanor trial is conducted before a judge, not a jury, in the State of Nevada. The prosecutor must still prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt, but it is the judge who decides whether or not the prosecutor has met the burden.
Some Misdemeanor offenses in Nevada are the following:
- Assault: Intentionally placing another person in reasonable apprehension of immediate bodily harm.
- Battery: Constituting Domestic Violence, 1st and 2nd offense
- Battery: Any willful and unlawful use of force or violence upon the person of another
- Driving Under The Influence (DUI)
- Petit Theft: A person who, without lawful authority, knowingly controls any property of another person with the intent to deprive that person of property. The theft is considered a misdemeanor where the value of the property is not greater than $250.
- Possession of Dangerous Drugs not to be introduced into interstate commerce: Any person within this state who possesses any drug which may not be lawfully introduced into interstate commerce under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act is guilty of a misdemeanor.
- Prostitution: A male or female person who for a fee engages in sexual intercourse, oral genital contact, or any touching of the sexual organs or other intimate parts of a person for the purpose of arousing or gratifying the sexual desire or gratifying the sexual desire of either person is guilty of misdemeanor.
- Trespass: A person who goes upon the land or into any building of another with the intent to vex or annoy the owner or occupant thereof or to commit an unlawful act, OR willfully goes or remains upon any land or in any building after having been warned by the owner or occupant thereof not to trespass is guilty of a misdemeanor.
Consequences
Even though a misdemeanor is not as serious as a felony or a gross misdemeanor, being convicted can have a significant impact on your life.
It is important to have proper representation to limit the harm that may come from being convicted of a misdemeanor.
In some instances, being convicted of a misdemeanor may:
- Prevent you from owning a firearm
- Result in a suspension your driver's license
- Require you to register as a sex offender depending on the type of crime
- Have a significant impact on future criminal charges, including federal charges
If you or anyone you care about has been arrested or will soon be arrested for a misdemeanor crime, contact Pat McDonald immediately at 702.280.7715 or pat@lvbestdefense.com.
