Sealing Records in Southern Nevada

You may be eligible to have your criminal records sealed in Las Vegas after dismissal of your case, an acquittal, and even after you have been convicted. There are also a number of reasons that you may not be eligible to have your records sealed including:

(1) The statutory length of time since your case has been closed as not been met (see NRS 179.245 below);

(2) You have a pending or active case in another jurisdiction;

(3) The Statute of Limitations has not run;

(4) Your case was dismissed without prejudice (meaning it can be refiled);

(5) Your Petition to Seal Records includes a crime relating to Sexual Assault against a minor;

(6) A case includes a Dishonorable Discharge from Probation;

(7) You have not listed all charges heard in Las Vegas Justice Court or Eighth Judicial District Court;

(8) You have included cases that occurred within a municipal court jurisdiction;

(9) You have a Drug and/or DUI case recently denied by DA.

Sealing your records in Southern Nevada is a process that begins with understanding how it works. You are required to submit the sealing packet to the District Attorney’s office for them to sign off before the packet can be submitted to the Court. You must obtain your criminal history from the police department, prepare the sealing forms as specified by the Court, and then submit the packet to the District Attorney’s office for review. Sealing your criminal records could be very beneficial to you and your future. Call Litt Law Firm and find out today if you are eligible to have your records sealed and let us help prepare the sealing packet for flat fee.
Nevada Revised Statute 179.245 dictates when a convicted person is eligible to seal his/her criminal records. See NRS 179.245 below.

NRS 179.245  Sealing records after conviction: Persons eligible; petition; notice; hearing; order. [Effective through December 31, 2013.]

(1)  Except as otherwise provided in subsection 5 and NRS 176A.265, 176A.295, 179.259, 453.3365 and 458.330, a person may petition the court in which the person was convicted for the sealing of all records relating to a conviction of:

(a) A category A or B felony after 15 years from the date of release from actual custody
or discharge from parole or probation, whichever occurs later;
(b) A category C or D felony after 12 years from the date of release from actual custody
or discharge from parole or probation, whichever occurs later;
(c) A category E felony after 7 years from the date of release from actual custody or
discharge from parole or probation, whichever occurs later;
(d) Any gross misdemeanor after 5 years from the date of release from actual custody
or discharge from probation, whichever occurs later;
(e) A violation of NRS 484C.110 or 484C.120 other than a felony, or a battery which
constitutes domestic violence pursuant to NRS 33.018 other than a felony, after 7 years
from the date of release from actual custody or from the date when the person is no
longer under a suspended sentence, whichever occurs later; or
(f) Any other misdemeanor after 2 years from the date of release from actual custody
or from the date when the person is no longer under a suspended sentence, whichever
occurs later.

(2)  A petition filed pursuant to subsection 1 must:

(a) Be accompanied by the petitioner’s current, verified records received from:
(1) The Central Repository for Nevada Records of Criminal History; and
(2) All agencies of criminal justice which maintain such records within the city or county in which the conviction was entered;

(b) If the petition references NRS 453.3365 or 458.330, include a certificate of acknowledgment or the disposition of the proceedings for the records to be sealed from all agencies of criminal justice which maintain such records;
(c) Include a list of any other public or private agency, company, official or other custodian of records that is reasonably known to the petitioner to have possession of records of the conviction and to whom the order to seal records, if issued, will be directed; and
(d) Include information that, to the best knowledge and belief of the petitioner, accurately and completely identifies the records to be sealed, including, without limitation, the:
(1) Date of birth of the petitioner;
(2) Specific conviction to which the records to be sealed pertain; and
(3) Date of arrest relating to the specific conviction to which the records to be sealed pertain.

(3)  Upon receiving a petition pursuant to this section, the court shall notify the law enforcement agency that arrested the petitioner for the crime and:

(a) If the person was convicted in a district court or justice court, the prosecuting attorney for the county; or
(b) If the person was convicted in a municipal court, the prosecuting attorney for the city.
Ê The prosecuting attorney and any person having relevant evidence may testify and present evidence at the hearing on the petition.

(4)  If, after the hearing, the court finds that, in the period prescribed in subsection 1, the petitioner has not been charged with any offense for which the charges are pending or convicted of any offense, except for minor moving or standing traffic violations, the court may order sealed all records of the conviction which are in the custody of any agency of criminal justice or any public or private agency, company, official or other custodian of records in the State of Nevada, and may also order all such records of the petitioner returned to the file of the court where the proceeding was commenced from, including, without limitation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the California Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information and all agencies of criminal justice which maintain such records and which are reasonably known by either the petitioner or the court to have possession of such records.

(5)  A person may not petition the court to seal records relating to a conviction of a crime against a child or a sexual offense.

(6)  If the court grants a petition for the sealing of records pursuant to this section, upon the request of the person whose records are sealed, the court may order sealed all records of the civil proceeding in which the records were sealed.

(7)  As used in this section:

(a) “Crime against a child” has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 179D.0357.
(b) “Sexual offense” means:

(1) Murder of the first degree committed in the perpetration or attempted perpetration of sexual assault or of sexual abuse or sexual molestation of a child less than 14 years of age pursuant to paragraph (b) of subsection 1 of NRS 200.030.
(2) Sexual assault pursuant to NRS 200.366.
(3) Statutory sexual seduction pursuant to NRS 200.368, if punishable as a felony.
(4) Battery with intent to commit sexual assault pursuant to NRS 200.400.
(5) An offense involving the administration of a drug to another person with the intent to enable or assist the commission of a felony pursuant to NRS 200.405, if the felony is an offense listed in this paragraph.

(6) An offense involving the administration of a controlled substance to another person with the intent to enable or assist the commission of a crime of violence pursuant to NRS 200.408, if the crime of violence is an offense listed in this paragraph.
(7) Abuse of a child pursuant to NRS 200.508, if the abuse involved sexual abuse or sexual exploitation.
(8) An offense involving pornography and a minor pursuant to NRS 200.710 to 200.730, inclusive.
(9) Incest pursuant to NRS 201.180.
(10) Open or gross lewdness pursuant to NRS 201.210, if punishable as a felony.
(11) Indecent or obscene exposure pursuant to NRS 201.220, if punishable as a felony.
(12) Lewdness with a child pursuant to NRS 201.230.
(13) Sexual penetration of a dead human body pursuant to NRS 201.450.
(14) Luring a child or a person with mental illness pursuant to NRS 201.560, if punishable as a felony.
(15) An attempt to commit an offense listed in this paragraph.

NRS 179.255  Sealing of records after dismissal, decline of prosecution or acquittal: Petition; notice; hearing; order; inspection of records. [Effective January 1, 2014.]

(1)  If a person has been arrested for alleged criminal conduct and the charges are dismissed, the prosecuting attorney having jurisdiction declined prosecution of the charges or such person is acquitted of the charges, the person may petition:

(a) The court in which the charges were dismissed, at any time after the date the charges were dismissed;

(b) The court having jurisdiction in which the charges were declined for prosecution:

(1) Any time after the applicable statute of limitations has run;
(2) Any time 10 years after the arrest; or
(3) Pursuant to a stipulation between the parties; or
(c) The court in which the acquittal was entered, at any time after the date of the acquittal,
Ê for the sealing of all records relating to the arrest and the proceedings leading to the dismissal, declination or acquittal.
(2)  If the conviction of a person is set aside pursuant to NRS 458A.240, the person may petition the court that set aside the conviction, at any time after the conviction has been set aside, for the sealing of all records relating to the setting aside of the conviction.

(3)  A petition filed pursuant to subsection 1 or 2 must:
(a) Be accompanied by the petitioner’s current, verified records received from:
(1) The Central Repository for Nevada Records of Criminal History; and
(2) All agencies of criminal justice which maintain such records within the city or county in which the petitioner appeared in court;
(b) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (c), include the disposition of the proceedings for the records to be sealed;
(c) If the petition references NRS 453.3365 or 458.330, include a certificate of acknowledgment or the disposition of the proceedings for the records to be sealed from all agencies of criminal justice which maintain such records;
(d) Include a list of any other public or private agency, company, official and other custodian of records that is reasonably known to the petitioner to have possession of records of the arrest and of the proceedings leading to the dismissal, declination or acquittal and to whom the order to seal records, if issued, will be directed; and
(e) Include information that, to the best knowledge and belief of the petitioner, accurately and completely identifies the records to be sealed, including, without limitation, the:

(1) Date of birth of the petitioner;
(2) Specific charges that were dismissed or of which the petitioner was acquitted; and
(3) Date of arrest relating to the specific charges that were dismissed or of which the petitioner was acquitted.

(4)  Upon receiving a petition pursuant to subsection 1, the court shall notify the law enforcement agency that arrested the petitioner for the crime and:

(a) If the charges were dismissed, declined for prosecution or the acquittal was entered in a district court or justice court, the prosecuting attorney for the county; or
(b) If the charges were dismissed, declined for prosecution or the acquittal was entered in a municipal court, the prosecuting attorney for the city.
Ê The prosecuting attorney and any person having relevant evidence may testify and present evidence at the hearing on the petition.

(5)  Upon receiving a petition pursuant to subsection 2, the court shall notify:

(a) If the conviction was set aside in a district court or justice court, the prosecuting attorney for the county; or
(b) If the conviction was set aside in a municipal court, the prosecuting attorney for the city.
Ê The prosecuting attorney and any person having relevant evidence may testify and present evidence at the hearing on the petition.

(6)  If, after the hearing on a petition submitted pursuant to subsection 1, the court finds that there has been an acquittal, that the prosecution was declined or that the charges were dismissed and there is no evidence that further action will be brought against the person, the court may order sealed all records of the arrest and of the proceedings leading to the acquittal, declination or dismissal which are in the custody of any agency of criminal justice or any public or private company, agency, official or other custodian of records in the State of Nevada.

(7)  If, after the hearing on a petition submitted pursuant to subsection 2, the court finds that the conviction of the petitioner was set aside pursuant to NRS 458A.240, the court may order sealed all records relating to the setting aside of the conviction which are in the custody of any agency of criminal justice or any public or private company, agency, official or other custodian of records in the State of Nevada.

(8)  If the prosecuting attorney having jurisdiction previously declined prosecution of the charges and the records of the arrest have been sealed pursuant to subsection 6, the prosecuting attorney may subsequently file the charges at any time before the running of the statute of limitations for those charges. If such charges are filed with the court, the court shall order the inspection of the records without the prosecuting attorney having to petition the court pursuant to NRS 179.295.
(Added to NRS by 1971, 955; A 1997, 3160; 2001,1693; 2009, 1439; 2013, 110, 1385, effective January 1, 2014)