Las Vegas Felony: Class A, B, C, D, E Charges

A felony is a crime with the potential punishment of one year or more in prison. A felony is more severe than a misdemeanor, so it is vital to get an experienced Las Vegas defense attorney to defend you against felony charges.

Examples of Felony Charges in Las Vegas include:

Crimes that are considered felonies range from the most severe like murder and sexual assault down to the least severe like possession of a controlled substance. In Nevada, there are several different categories of felonies that range from Category “A” to Category “E”.

Category A contains the felonies that carry a sentence of death or life imprisonment which is the highest penalty for committing a crime in Nevada. Category “E” felonies contain the lightest felony punishments with a potential sentence of 1 to 4 years in prison.

Category Examples of Felony Range of Punishments
Category E Possession of a controlled substance 1-4 years in prison
Fine of up to $5,000
Category D Forgery
Unpaid Casino Markers
1-4 years in prison
Fine of up to $5,000
Category C Stalking
Buying or receiving stolen goods
1-5 years in prison
Fine up to $10,000
Category B Grand Larceny
Robbery
Manslaughter
1-20 years in prison
Fine depending on the offense
Category A 1st and 2nd-degree murder
Kidnapping
Sexual Assault
Death in murder cases
Life sentence w/o the possibility of parole
Life sentence w/ the possibility of parole

If you’ve been arrested or accused of any of the above felony charges, or any Category “A” through “E” felony offense, it’s important that you obtain the services from an experienced felony defense attorney as early as possible in your case to defend you against these serious charges.

Las Vegas Felony Defense Attorney

Joel M. Mann is a felony defense attorney committed to aggressively defending you against felony charges in Las Vegas, Nevada and surrounding areas. Contact us immediately if you have a felony arrest or conviction at (702) 474-6266 to discuss your case.

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Felony Arrests and Initial Appearance

There are a number of procedures that will occur after a person is arrested.

Initial Appearance:

  • A person in custody must appear before a magistrate or Justice of the Peace within 72 hours or 3 business days
  • During the appearance a prosecutor will inform the Court whether charges have been filed
  • If charges have been filed, a criminal complaint will be handed to the defendant and the Court will ask whether the Defendant understands the charges
  • The Court will find out whether the Defendant can retain an attorney at this time
  • The Court will set a date for a preliminary hearing
  • If the Defendant is in custody, a preliminary hearing will be scheduled within 15 days

Preliminary Hearing

The preliminary hearing is a critical stage in the Nevada criminal system. It is important that you have competent counsel to represent you.

A preliminary hearing is a formal proceeding where the prosecution must convince the Justice of the Peace that there is slight or marginal evidence that the Defendant committed a crime. A preliminary hearing’s main purpose is to determine whether there is some evidence to warrant going to trial. It is similar to a probable cause hearing. At the preliminary hearing, the prosecution must present witnesses and evidence that the crime was committed. The Defense has an opportunity to cross-examine the witnesses. If the Justice of the Peace determines that the prosecution has demonstrated a scintilla of evidence, the case will proceed to the District Court.

In Clark County, there are several jurisdictions that conduct preliminary hearings. If the crime allegedly occurred within the limits of the Las Vegas Township, the case will be heard before one of the 14 Las Vegas Justice Courts. Other Clark County Justice Courts are located in North Las Vegas, Henderson, Mesquite, Goodsprings, and Laughlin.

Indictment v. Information

An Indictment is a charging document that has been approved by the grand jury. A grand jury is a secret proceeding where a jury hears evidence only from the prosecution side and makes a determination on whether there is enough evidence to proceed to a trial. The Defense is not privy to the grand jury proceedings and cannot present evidence at the proceeding. If the grand jury finds enough evidence they will give an Indictment.

An Information is a sworn statement which accuses the Defendant of committing some criminal act. The Information is presented by an authorized public official.

Both an information and an indictment are two mechanisms used to charge the Defendant with a crime.

Arraignment Hearing

In District Court the Defendant will formally receive notice of the criminal charges being brought against him. An arraignment is a formal reading of the Information or Indictment against a Defendant.

At the arraignment, the Defendant is able to announce to the Court his plea of guilty or not guilty.

After the Defendant enters the plea, the court will set a trial date. The Constitution guarantees a right to a speedy trial. Typically Nevada courts set a trial date for 60 days after the Defendant’s arraignment. However, due to legal motions, the court calendar in Clark County and other reasons, the Defendant might not be tried within 60 days.

The Clark County District Court is located in the Regional Justice Center in Las Vegas. Any crime that is alleged to have occurred in Clark County would be processed up to the Clark County District Court.

Jury Trial

In the State of Nevada, a trial is conducted before a jury of 12 people. The jurors are generally picked from a pool of local citizens before a trial has commenced. During a jury trial, the prosecutors must prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt.

The jury will decide whether the prosecution has carried the burden of proving their case beyond a reasonable doubt. If the jury unanimously decides that the State has proven their case beyond a reasonable doubt, then the jury will return a guilty verdict. If the jury unanimously decides that the State has not proved their case beyond a reasonable doubt, the jury will enter a verdict of not guilty.

In the event the jury cannot make a unanimous decision, the jury is called a “hung jury,” and a mistrial is declared. The prosecution will decide whether to conduct another trial if a mistrial happens.

Law Office of Joel M. Mann | Nevada Criminal Defense of Felony Charges

Are you or someone you know currently facing felony criminal charges in Las Vegas, Nevada? Contact the Law Office of Joel M. Mann at (702) 474-6266 for a free legal consultation. Joel Mann is a successful Las Vegas criminal defense attorney who is dedicated to working to protect your rights in a felony case.