Find Trusted Criminal Defense Lawyers in Nevada

How to choose a criminal defense lawyer in Nevada

Most people look for a defense lawyer in the days after an arrest or a citation, often for the first time and under pressure. The choice is easier with a short list of what matters, and this guide gives that list. It is not legal advice about your case; only a lawyer you hire can give that.

Start where your case is

Nevada has eleven judicial districts, and each county's cases run through its own courts. A Las Vegas case sits in Clark County's Eighth Judicial District, a Reno case in Washoe County's Second, a Minden or Stateline case in Douglas County's Ninth. A lawyer who works in that court every week knows its calendar and its people. That is why this directory is organized by city: open the page for the town where the case was filed, not only the town where you live.

Check the lawyer with the State Bar

The State Bar of Nevada regulates attorneys in the state. Before you hire anyone, look the lawyer up with the State Bar by name. This directory does not check licenses, discipline records or case results, and no listing here is an endorsement. If you would rather be referred than choose from a list, the State Bar runs its own Lawyer Referral Service.

Match the practice to the charge

Many offices here also handle family law, personal injury or immigration. Each listing shows the criminal matters a firm names on its own site: DUI, drug charges, domestic violence, violent crimes, sex crimes, white collar and fraud, federal cases, juvenile matters, traffic tickets and warrants, and record sealing. A tile in the grid means the firm says it handles that work. A muted line means its site does not say either way, which is a question for the first call rather than a no. Firms that confirm criminal defense sort ahead of those whose sites say less.

Some matters have rules of their own. A DUI carries consequences at the Nevada DMV as well as in court: the DMV lists a license revocation of at least 185 days for a first offense, DUI school, and an ignition interlock device. Record sealing is a separate court process with its own waiting periods, and the State of Nevada notes that sealing a record does not restore the right to own a firearm. A federal charge is heard by the United States District Court in Las Vegas or Reno, so a lawyer who takes federal cases says so.

What to ask on the first call

Ask who will handle your case in court, the lawyer you are speaking to or someone else in the office. Ask how often they appear in the court where your case is filed. Ask how the fee is set, what it covers, and what would add to it. Ask how they will keep you informed and how fast they answer. Many firms list a free consultation, and the tile on each listing shows which ones say so.

Reading the ratings

Each card shows the firm's Google rating and review count. A long record of reviews tells you more than a perfect score from a handful. Read a few of the lowest reviews as well as the highest, and weigh what they say about communication, not only outcomes. Paid placements are labeled as featured wherever they appear, and payment never changes what a listing says a firm handles.