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In the state of Nevada, when you are charged with an offense, sometimes you are not always arrested and brought before the court. Instead, you may be issued a summons that commands you to come before a magistrate at a designated place and time. When you are issued a summons, you must comply with the court order and you must come before the magistrate to answer the charges against you.
It is important to understand what a summons is, how it works, and how responding to a summons can impact your legal rights. There are many laws in the state of Nevada related to summonses and you should work with an experienced Las Vegas criminal defense attorney to better understand what a summons is and how it can impact you.
LV Criminal Defense will assist you in responding to a summons. Our legal team has successfully defended many clients who were summoned to court to answer charges and we can put our extensive legal experience to work to help you fight for a positive outcome to your case.
Give us a call today to find out more about the rules for a summons and about how we can help you as you navigate the criminal justice system so you can maximize the chances of an outcome in your favor.
One of the many laws in the state of Nevada related to a summons is found in N.R.S. 179.325. This section of Nevada’s criminal code is a sample form showing what a summons should look like. In other words, it contains the language that should be on the actual legal paperwork when a summons is issued. It is found within a section of the Nevada code called Forms, which also includes sample paperwork for many of the other motions, pleadings, warrants, and legal documents that are used in criminal proceedings.
N.R.S. 179.325 indicates that a defendant who is being asked to appear before the court should be named in the summons. The summons should alert the named person to the fact that he has been summoned to appear before a magistrate to answer a charge. The summons should specify the date and the time, including the specific day and hour, when the individual must appear before the magistrate. The summons should also specify the exact place where the individual should appear.
Nick Wooldridge has a long track record of representing clients accused of serious federal and state crimes in Nevada.
The summons also needs to generally designate the offense that the individual who receives the summons is being accused of and will need to answer to before the magistrate. The summons should be signed by the magistrate and should include the magistrate’s official title. It should be dated on the day that it is issued.
While this sample form satisfies the requirements for a summons, it is possible that you might receive a summons that does not contain the exact language contained within N.R.S. 179.325. Nevada Revised Statute section 179.315 addresses the use of the authorized forms found within Nevada’s Forms section of the criminal code. As N.R.S. 179.315 makes clear, the use of the authorized forms is not required by law. As long as the summons (or other court paperwork) substantially complies with the forms section and is sufficient to alert the person who receives the legal papers to the purpose of those papers, it will be considered legally valid.
Receiving a summons to appear before the court is upsetting because you could end up being found guilty of a criminal offense. A guilty verdict can have a wide range of consequences, depending upon the nature of the offense that you have been accused of committing. You need to respond to the summons by taking steps to defend yourself against the charges- which means contacting an experienced Las Vegas criminal defense attorney.
LV Criminal Defense can assist you in responding to a summons in a strategic manner aimed at reducing the likelihood of conviction or reducing the penalties that you face. To find out more about how our legal team can help if you have received a summons, give us a call today.
When I initially met with Mr. Wooldridge, he took the opportunity to sit and go over my problem with me. He described details in my case which he found disturbing and explained why he I should have him on my side.
