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Public officials are held to sacred trust. Because many public officials have power over people and businesses, they are not permitted to abuse their power or to act in ways that violate the rights of their constituents. A public officer who engages in behavior, in connection with his official duties, that infringes upon the rights of others could, in some cases, be charged with a crime.
There are laws in Nevada’s criminal code that specifically prohibit oppression under color of office. These laws apply to both public officials as well as to individuals who pretend to be public officers. If you are accused of breaking the law, you could be charged with a felony or a gross misdemeanor depending upon the nature of your actions. Both crimes could carry serious penalties.
LV Criminal Defense can provide you with legal representation if you are accused of oppression under color of office. Our Nevada criminal defense law firm has provided representation to many defendants accused of oppression, including both public officers and those accused of pretending to be public officers. We will put our considerable legal experience to work to help you fight the charges that have been brought against you so you can reduce the chances of conviction. Give us a call today to find out more about how we can help you.
The laws in Nevada that prohibit oppression under the color of office are found in Nevada Revised Statute section 197.200. According to 197.200, oppression under the color of office occurs when an officer, or someone pretending to be an officer, acts maliciously to engage in certain wrongful actions.
The oppressor must act under pretense or color of official office to be guilty of a crime under N.R.S. 197.200. This means they must be pretending they are carrying out official duties when they take the wrongful actions that result in criminal charges.
Nick Wooldridge has a long track record of representing clients accused of serious federal and state crimes in Nevada.
An oppressor can be found guilty of a crime under N.R.S. 197.200 if, while pretending to be acting under official authority, the oppressor arrests or detains any person against that person’s will. Unlawful oppression under this statute could also include seizing someone’s property while pretending to act under color of law; dispossessing a person of land or tenements while pretending to have legal authority to do so, or engaging in any other action under color of law that causes injury to the property, person, or rights of a victim.
If you are convicted of oppression and you were found to have used physical force, or the immediate threat of physical force, in the oppressive acts, you could be convicted of a Category D felony. If no physical force was used and no threats of immediate force were made, you could be convicted of a gross misdemeanor if found to have committed the offense defined in N.R.S. 197.200.
Both a gross misdemeanor and a felony charge can affect your future in many undesirable ways. You could be imprisoned and fined upon conviction. You will have a criminal record, your reputation will be damaged, and your career as a public servant will likely come to an end.
You don’t want these undesirable consequences to happen to you if there is a way to avoid conviction. A Nevada criminal defense attorney will help you to explore your options for trying to get charges dropped or for trying to introduce doubt as to your guilt so you can be acquitted.
LV Criminal Defense has helped many clients to successfully avoid a guilty verdict when charged with oppression under color of office. We have also provided help with plea negotiation to reduce the severity of charges and penalties. To find out more about how we can help, 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.
Crimes By and Against the Executive Power of This State