Verdict

Las Vegas Criminal Lawyer Nicholas Wooldridge Unveils Rules for Verdicts After Trial

When you are charged with breaking the law and you are on trial for committing a criminal act the entire purpose of the trial is for a judge or a jury to render a verdict.

The verdict in your criminal case can change your life forever. An acquittal means you can try to get your record expunged and you can move on with your life with no further penalties and no additional interactions with the criminal justice system.

A mistrial or a guilty verdict, on the other hand, can have a very different impact on your future. A mistrial can mean your case will be tried again if the prosecutor chooses to move forward with a retrial, while a guilty verdict means you can be sentenced for the offense and you will be left with a criminal record that could follow you forever.

It is imperative that you do everything possible to try to get a favorable verdict when you are charged with a crime, as you are fighting for your future. You should get help from a top Las Vegas criminal defense attorney as early as possible when you become a suspect or when you are accused of a crime, as your attorney can help you to make strategic choices throughout your involvement with the criminal justice system. Among the many different things a lawyer will do for you is helping you to understand exactly what the rules are for verdicts at the conclusion of criminal proceedings.

LV Criminal Defense understands Nevada laws and knows what a prosecutor has to prove in order to secure a conviction. Our legal team is not only experienced in raising defenses and in introducing reasonable doubt because of our knowledge of Nevada’s criminal code, but we also have in-depth knowledge of the rules of criminal procedure within the state.

We can help you to understand the technicalities of a criminal trial and the legal rules surrounding a jury or judge handing down a verdict. Give us a call as soon as possible so we can start working for you to fight for a positive outcome when you have been accused of breaking the law.

Nevada Rules for a Verdict in Criminal Cases

Most defendants who are accused of committing crimes are primarily focused on what the verdict will be in their case, rather than on the rules surrounding when and how a verdict is handed down. Still, knowing the rules related to criminal procedure can be essential to ensuring that you get a fair trial. These rules of criminal procedure are found in Title 14 of the Nevada Code, and the rules related to trials are found in Chapter 175 of Title 14.

Within Chapter 175, there are statutes specifically relating to verdicts in criminal cases. These statutes that impose rules and requirements for the handing down of verdicts are found in N.R.S. 175.481 through 175.533. The statutes address:

• The return of the verdict: A verdict must be unanimous and it must be returned by the jury in open court.
• Verdicts in cases where there are several defendants: If there are multiple defendants, the jury can return a verdict about any one of the defendants at any time when an agreement has been reached by jurors. If the jury does not come to a unanimous agreement on the verdict for all of the defendants, the case may be re-tried against the defendants for whom no decision was made.
• Rules for multiple offenses: If the defendant faces multiple charges, the decision of the jury on each offense must be stated separately in the verdict or in the finding of the court.
• Rules for a conviction for lesser offenses. The defendant can be found guilty of any offense which was necessarily included in the charge, or of an attempt to commit any included offense.
• The process for polling the jury: Once a verdict has been returned, either party can request that the jury be polled. The court can also poll the jury at its own discretion. If polling the jury reveals that there is not unanimous consensus among jurors regarding the verdict, the case can be returned to the jury for further deliberation or the jury can be discharged by the court. This would mean a mistrial and the prosecutor could make the decision to re-try the case against the defendant. The judge will discharge a jury with no verdict if sufficient time has passed and if consensus still appears impossible.
• The process when a defendant is found guilty but mentally ill when a defendant pled not guilty by reason of insanity. A jury can find a defendant guilty but mentally ill if the jurors believe beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant committed the offense and if the defense has established by a preponderance of the evidence that the defendant was mentally ill at the time that the offense was committed but has not established by a preponderance of the evidence that the defendant is not guilty by reason of mental insanity.

An experienced Las Vegas criminal defense lawyer can provide you with details on the rules applicable to verdicts and can help you to develop a trial strategy which is aimed at increasing the chances of an acquittal or increasing the chances you will be found guilty of a lesser offense so your penalties won’t be as serious.

Getting Help from a Las Vegas Criminal Defense Lawyer

When you are charged with a crime, the idea of a guilty verdict is frightening because of the profound impact that a conviction can have on the rest of your life. You need to make smart choices to try to secure an acquittal, which means getting the right legal help from an attorney who understands the Nevada criminal justice process.

LV Criminal Defense is here to provide the representation you need. Whether you have been charged with a misdemeanor, a felony, a state offense, or a federal crime, we will fight for your future. Give us a call as soon as possible to learn more.