Preparing or Selling Academic Writings

NRS 207.320 – Overview of the Penalties Associated with Preparing or Selling Academic Writings

According to NRS 207.320, it is a crime to sell academic writing. Academic fraud is becoming more and more widespread in the United States. Websites are popping up all over offering academic writing services for students to buy papers and submit them for a grade without completing any of the work themselves.

Many states have enacted laws to criminalize this behavior. NRS 207.320 is Nevada’s anti-academic writing fraud statute. This page will explain what the crime of selling academic writing is, how to defend against this charge, and the potential penalties one might face if convicted of the crime.

Selling academic writing as a Crime under NRS 207.320

In the state of Nevada, it is a crime to prepare or sell any piece of academic writing, such as a term paper, thesis, or dissertation, to be submitted by someone other than the author towards the fulfillment of an education requirement such as a degree requirement or some other academic credit.

There are some important aspects of this statute. First, this statute only criminalizes the selling of academic writing. It does not criminalize buying or attempting to buy academic writing. The buyer of academic certainly could be subject to discipline from their school, or perhaps even some other Nevada statute, but the buyers of academic writing will not be charged under NRS 207.320. Second, this statute applies to any piece of academic writing sold with the intention of fulling an education requirement, such as a degree requirement. Therefore, this statute can apply not only undergraduate or graduate level students, but also to high school students, as high school students are attempting to earn their high school degree.

Defenses to a charge of selling academic writing under NRS 207.320

If you or a loved one have been charged with this crime in Nevada, it is important to remember that the burden is proof is upon the State of Nevada to show beyond a reasonable doubt that you have committed the crime. Most crimes have defenses that can be raised to refute the state’s argument. An experienced attorney may raise the following defenses against a charge or selling academic writing:

• You must intend to sell the writing. If you have no intention of selling the writing, for example, if you are simple editing the paper, it is not a crime.
• Fulfillment of education requirement. The paper must be sold with the intention of fulfilling a degree, or course requirement. for example, if paper is sold with the intention of educating a person on the topic that would not fall under NRS 207.320

Potential Penalty for selling academic writing under NRS 207.320

The crime of selling academic writing is a misdemeanor crime. As such, if convicted, a person can face:

• Up $1000 fine
• Up to Six (6) months in a county jail
• Both

Additionally, of course, any seller of academic writing who is themselves a student could certainly be a subject to discipline from their school. If a person is convicted of the crime of selling academic writing, school discipline does not seem to be far behind.