Nevada State Laws

Nevada has several different kinds of laws, or lack thereof, due to the life of its biggest city, Las Vegas. Many of these state laws include labor laws, divorce laws, expungement laws, driving under the influence laws, gun laws, and bankruptcy laws.

One of the rarer laws is that of prostitution. This practice is only lawfully in some portions of the state and under licensure. Certain counties prohibit brothel licensing and thus prostitution in those areas. These include Clark Country, Washoe County, Carson City, and others.

Divorce
Another interesting law centers around a more casual subject: divorce. It is a common joke to arrive in Las Vegas for the purpose of a marriage. Because of this Nevada has very liberal divorce laws since the 1970s. Divorces in Nevada were soon simplified and resulted in no-fault grounds. These kinds of grounds state that no individual is responsible for the petition for divorce.

Drunk Driving
Federal law states that when an individual acquires a driver's license he or she gives common consent to submit to chemical testing when requested. If an individual refuses to submit to testing, when requested by a police officer, he or she will automatically have his or her driver's license suspended. This suspension will stand whether or not an individual is charged with a driving under the influence offense.

When an individual is convicted of this kind of offense, he or she will be punished according to any previous driving under the influence offenses. Punishments can include community service, incarceration, fines, driver's license suspension, drug and alcohol treatment courses, and possible motor vehicle impounding.

Expungement
Expungement is not available in the state of Nevada, although record sealing is sometimes possible. Unlike expungement, record sealing only seals a record from public view but can be accessed for other purposes, like official use. Serious crimes, such as felony convictions and misdemeanor convictions, cannot be sealed.

Traffic offenses also cannot be sealed. Records are still accessible when an individual runs for public office or when an individual applies for the United States military. Those who have had charges dismissed due to error or through acquittal may have their records sealed, despite the kind of crime for which he or she may have been tried.

Leave
Rather than create its own laws for family and personal leave, Nevada instead uses the federal Family and Medical Leave Act for such purposes. This act allows individuals the right to take up to twelve weeks of unpaid leave for medical or family reasons. He or she also cannot be terminated from employment for taking leave. Maternity leave is housed under this act and can also include paternity leave.

When an employee on leave returns to work, he or she is guaranteed through the Family and Medical Leave Act that he or she will have his or her former occupation or one of the same benefit and salary. An employer has the right to temporary hire an employee while another is on leave. That new employee must be terminated when the former employee returns.