Thursday, February 19, 2015

The Criminal Court Process in Las Vegas Nevada


Attorney Ross Goodman
520 S 4th St,
Las Vegas, NV 89101
Phone: (702) 383 – 5088
Fax: (702) 385 – 5088


A criminal case like domestic violence takes a long process in Nevada. That is why you need to hire an excellent and Experienced Domestic Dispute Attorney who can guide you in this drawn-out process. Here are the phases that explain the criminal court process in Las Vegas, Nevada:

Arraignment
The Arraignment is the first appearance of the defendant in court once a criminal case has been formally filed against him/her. The person will be notified of the criminal complaint against him/her. The defendant is required to give a plea, whether it is “guilty”, “no contest” or “not guilty”. Then, the next court date will be scheduled which might be for a pretrial, preliminary hearing or a trial.

Pretrial Conference
A pretrial is when the District Attorney provides the defense attorney with all the evidences that they plan to use against the defendant during trial. If there is any evidence beneficial to the defendant, the DA needs to hand it over. The DA and the defense attorney will consider a plea bargain. It is when the defendant agrees to plead “guilty” or “no contest” to reduce the charges and/or penalties. If the judge approves the plea bargain, the domestic violence case goes directly to the sentencing phase.

Preliminary Hearings                                                            
When the domestic violence case is considered a felony, a preliminary hearing happens. This is a vital phase as it can help the judge determine whether the evidences are sufficient to proceed from justice court up to district court (where felony cases are handled). Additionally, it helps the defense prepare for a trial as it can give a preview of the DA’s case. The judge may either discharge the case or let it be “bound over” to the district court.
*Bound over - the judge has released a discovery that there is a “probable cause” to proceed.

Trial
If the case is not dismissed or settled by plea bargain, it proceeds to a trial. The victim and the other witnesses will be given a subpoena to testify in court on the scheduled trial date. Depending on the case, the trial may either be a “bench trial” or a “jury trial”. A bench trial is when the ruling judge declares the verdict, while a jury trial is when a group of local citizens in Nevada is asked to sit during a trial and render the verdict. All the evidences provided by both parties will be heard by the judge and/or the jury and then decide whether the defendant is guilty or not guilty.
Note: Only those cases who are facing more than six months in jail are allowed to have a jury trial.

Sentencing
The judge will enforce the right sentence based on the guidelines formed by the Nevada Revised Statute (NRS) if the defendant pleads guilty or is found guilty at trial. The sentence depends on the level of domestic violence charges, from misdemeanor to felony cases. It may include fines, imprisonment, community service and counseling.

If you are facing domestic violence charges, Atty. Ross C. Goodman can assist you in the whole criminal court process. He is an experienced domestic violence lawyer in Las Vegas who specializes in criminal defense. Just call (702) 383 – 5088 for more information.