Clark County Criminal Court

Clark County Criminal Court hears all criminal cases in Clark County. Below you will find specific information about criminal cases and how they are handled in Clark County.

The Right to Trial by Jury

The Sixth Amendment of the United States Constitution guarantees the right to a trial by a jury. This is applicable for when the crime can carry a sentence of 6 months in jail OR a $500 fine, these are known as “Serious Crimes”. The defendant can also waive their right to a speedy and public trial.

Defendant Sentencing

At a sentence hearing the judge will inform the defendant of the sentence that will be imposed. This sometimes occurs at the same hearing in which the defendant is found guilty (either by trial or plea agreement). In can also occur at a later date, most often this is due to the complexity of the case where more time is needed to determine the appropriate sentence.

Clark County Criminal Court

Clark County Criminal Court

What is a Plea Agreement?

A plea agreement is a deal made between the prosecution and the defendant in a case, where the defendant agrees to plea guilty to a particular charge in exchange for some concession from the prosecutor. In practice, more than 90% of criminal cases end with a plea agreement.

Prosecutor in Clark County

In Clark County, the prosecutor is an attorney representing Clark County. In some cases, the prosecutor may actually represent Nevada. For the most part, the prosecutor in Clark County has discretion to both decide whether to file charges and also negotiate a potential plea deal with the defendant.

Where will Clark County criminal case hearings take place?

Criminal cases will take place at the criminal courts of Clark County. See here for the location of the criminal courts in Clark County.

Appealing a Criminal Conviciton

A defendant may appeal a criminal conviction to an appellate court. In an appeal, the actual trial is not redone, but the appellate court hears arguments that the criminal case was not handled in a legal manner at the original criminal court. The appellate court can either uphold the conviction, or determine that errors were made and may request a retrial, a resentencing of the defendant or that the charges be dismissed.

Where can I get help for my Clark County criminal case?

The 6th amendment of the United States Constitution provides a criminal defendant with the right to an attorney. As read in the miranda rights, this means that if a defendant cannot afford to hire a private attorney a legal attorney will be appointed to the defendant to represent him at no cost to the defendant. This is often a public defender. In addition, the court clerk for Clark County will also be able to provide general information about a specific criminal case. The clerk can only provide information and is not an attorney so they cannot provide legal advice, only a licensed attorney can provide legal advice about what the best options for are for your particular case.

Burden of Proof

The burden of proof is always on the prosecution in a criminal trial. In other words, the prosecution has to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant committed the crime. The defense must only prove that there is a reasonable possibility that the defendant did NOT commit the crime. If the prosecution cannot prove that the defendant committed the crime beyond a reasonable doubt, the jury will be instructed to find the defendant not-guilty.

What is Jury Deliberation?

After both the prosecution and defense have presented their cases, the judge in the case will provide instructions to the jury about what they must decide. The jury will be dismissed to the jury room where they will deliberate about the guilt or innocence of the defendant. After reaching a unaminous decision, they return their decision to the court where it is read aloud in the courtroom. If the jury is unable to reach a unaminous decision, the jury is deadlocked, also known as a hung jury, in which a mistrial will be declared.

Clark County Required Court Appearances

In Clark County, there are both required and non-required court appearances for the defendant. At a required or mandatory appearance hearing, the defendant is required to appear in person before the court. Failing to appear at your required hearing may result in a bench warrant being issued for your arrest by the judge.

What if I can’t afford an attorney?

The 6th Amendment guarantees you the right to an attorney whether or not you can afford one. If you cannot afford one, a public defender will be appointed by the court to represent you.

What happens in Clark County at an arraignment?

In Clark County the defendant is brought into court and informed by the judge of the charges that have been filed against them along with informing them of their rights. At this time, the defendant can plead guilty, not guilty or no contest. If the defendant pleads guilty or no contest, there will be no trial and the defendant may be sentenced immediately or at a later date. If the defendant pleads not guilty a trial date is set.

Clark County Criminal Court Locations

  • Clark County District Court

    Address: 200 Lewis Avenue, Las Vegas, NV 89101
    Phone: 702-671-4554 Fax: 702-474-2434

  • Clark County Family Courts

    Address: 601 North Pecos Road, Las Vegas, NV 89101
    Phone: 702-455-2590 Fax: 702-455-2367

  • Boulder Township Justice Court

    Address: 501 Avenue G, Boulder City, NV 89005
    Phone: 702-455-8000 Fax: 702-455-8003

  • Bunkerville Township Justice Court

    Address: 190 West Virgin Street, PO Box 7185, Bunkerville, NV 89007
    Phone: 702-346-5711 Fax: 702-346-7212

  • Goodsprings Township Justice Court

    Address: 23120 South Las Vegas Boulevard, PO Box 19155, Jean, NV 89019
    Phone: 702-874-1405 Fax: 702-874-1612

  • Henderson Township Justice Court

    Address: 243 Water Street, Henderson, NV 89015
    Phone: 702-455-7951 Fax: 702-455-7977

  • Las Vegas Township Justice Court

    Address: 200 Lewis Avenue, Las Vegas, NV 89155
    Phone: 702-671-3116 Fax: 702-455-4529

  • Laughlin Township Justice Court

    Address: 101 Civic Way, Suite 2, Laughlin, NV 89029
    Phone: 702-298-4622 Fax: 702-298-7508

  • Mesquite Township Justice Court

    Address: 500 Hillside Drive, Mesquite, NV 89027
    Phone: 702-346-5298 Fax: 702-346-7319

  • Moapa Township Justice Court

    Address: 1340 East Highway 168, PO Box 280, Moapa, NV 89025
    Phone: 702-864-2333 Fax: 702-864-2585

  • Moapa Valley Justice Court

    Address: PO Box 337, Overton, NV 89040
    Phone: 702-397-2840 Fax: 702-397-2842

  • North Las Vegas Justice Court

    Address: 2428 North Martin Luther King Boulevard, North Las Vegas, NV 89032
    Phone: 702-455-7801

  • Searchlight Township Justice Court

    Address: 1090 Cottonwood Cove Road, PO Box 815, Searchlight, NV 89046
    Phone: 702-297-1252 Fax: 702-297-1022

  • Boulder City Municipal Court

    Address: 501 Avenue G, Boulder City, NV 89005
    Phone: 702-293-9278 Fax: 702-293-9345

  • Henderson Municipal Court

    Address: 243 South Water Street, PO Box 95050, Henderson, NV 89009
    Phone: 702-267-3300 Fax: 702-267-3301 (Traffic)

  • Las Vegas Municipal Court

    Address: 200 Lewis Avenue, PO Box 3950, Las Vegas, NV 89127
    Phone: 702-382-6878

  • Mesquite Municipal Court

    Address: 500 Hillside Drive, Mesquite, NV 89027
    Phone: 702-346-5291 Fax: 702-346-6587

  • North Las Vegas Municipal Court

    Address: 2332 Las Vegas Boulevard North, North Las Vegas, NV 89030
    Phone: 702-633-1130 Fax: 702-399-6296

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