Nevada has strict laws about bad checks and unpaid casino markers. Not only can the recipient of a check or casino marker press charges, but they can also file a civil lawsuit in a Las Vegas court to collect the debt.
The Bad Checks Unit of the District Attorney’s office is more worried about making sure that debts from bad checks or unpaid markers are paid rather than putting offenders in jail. Even though punishments like jail time are less important to the District Attorney, they are still a very real possibility.
An experienced Las Vegas criminal defense lawyer can negotiate these obligations with the District Attorney and may even be able to get the charges dismissed or at least resolved without jail time.
Contact to begin your defense today. It should be no surprise that casinos have law enforcement on their side in Nevada and lots of lawyers. You deserve strong defense counsel in your case to represent you.
You may be surprised to learn that bad checks and Casino Markers are the same thing in Nevada. This explains why:
If a person writes a check (or gives another person the ability to withdraw funds from a bank account in one way or another) with the intent to defraud that person, Nevada’s bad check statute applies. A casino marker is not a loan. A casino marker is actual permission for the casino to draw on a person’s bank account, just like a check.
Nick Wooldridge has a long track record of representing clients accused of serious federal and state crimes in Nevada.
Unfortunately, “intent to defraud” does not mean exactly what it sounds like. Las Vegas law makes it very easy for the state to prove intent to defraud- even if there was no intent!
If you give a person or casino a check, and that person or casino to tries to cash it and there are not funds in the bank to cover it, the law assumes you intended to defraud the other person or casino. This is true even if, in reality, you thought you would have the money when the time came to cash the check.
This makes it especially difficult to represent yourself in Nevada bad check cases. Usually intent is the most difficult part of a crime for the state to prove, like in a bank fraud case. Instead, in bad check cases, the state almost has nothing to prove when it comes to intent, except that the funds were not in the account when the check[. was presented to the bank for payment.
Penalties for bad checks and unpaid casino markers depend on how much money is involved. Misdemeanor offenses carry up to 6 months in jail and $1,000 in fines, while felony offenses can result in up to four years in a Nevada prison and $5,000 in fines.
Bad debt cases also require restitution of the amount owed plus collection costs.
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.
Because the District Attorney is most concerned with getting the check recipient or casino it’s money, there is an opportunity to negotiate the charges down or even get them dismissed if the debt is paid. Payment plans can be negotiated, too. Still, dealing with a Nevada unpaid casino marker case or back check case should be left to a seasoned Las Vegas criminal defense attorney, who can help you get this positive result.
The sooner the bad check or unpaid markers case is dismissed or closed, the sooner you can get your record sealed. As with any crime, a theft or property charge or conviction can make it difficult to find employment in the future. Therefore, hiring a skilled criminal defense lawyer to reduce or dismiss the charges and seal your record is very important.
A Las Vegas lawyer can help you understand your rights and what you can be liable for in civil and criminal cases involving bad checks or unpaid casino markers. These cases move quickly, so there is little time to waste hoping the bad debt will go unnoticed. In certain cases, the Las Vegas District Attorney may try to bring a resident of another state back to Nevada to answer for the charges.
A local attorney can save you the headache of dealing with an out-of-state bad check or unpaid markers charge. If you have been arrested for a bad check or unpaid casino marker, contact LV Criminal Defense today to begin your defense.