FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Straight answers about fees, availability, and what the firm handles.
- Does Vegas Golden Law charge for a consultation?
- No. Consultations with Vegas Golden Law are always free, for both criminal defense and personal injury matters. The office is at 500 Rose St., Las Vegas, NV 89106, and someone is available seven days a week from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm. Call 702-385-7170 to arrange a free consultation about a Clark County or Pahrump case.
- What does it cost to hire Vegas Golden Law for a criminal case?
- Vegas Golden Law does not publish criminal defense fees, because what a case takes depends on the charge, the court, and how far it has already gone — a Las Vegas misdemeanor citation and a Nevada category B felony are not comparable matters. The consultation is free, and the firm quotes a fee only after hearing the facts. Call 702-385-7170.
- What does it cost to hire Vegas Golden Law for a personal injury case?
- Vegas Golden Law handles personal injury matters on a contingency basis: the client pays nothing unless the firm wins the case, and the consultation is free. You may have to pay the opposing parties’ attorney fees and costs in the event of a loss. The firm represents injured people throughout Clark County, Nevada, and in Pahrump. Call 702-385-7170.
- Is Vegas Golden Law the same firm as Momot & Zheng?
- Yes. The Las Vegas practice began as the Law Offices of John J. Momot, Esq. in 1974, became Momot & Zheng in 2009 when Yi Lin Zheng became a name partner, and was renamed Vegas Golden Law in 2019 after John Momot’s death in 2018. It has defended criminal cases in the same Clark County courthouses since 1974.
- What is the difference between a misdemeanor and a felony in Nevada?
- Nevada sorts offenses by the punishment available. A misdemeanor is the least serious: a first Nevada DUI, for example, carries 2 days to 6 months in jail and a $400 to $1,000 fine under NRS 484C.400(1). Felonies are graded in five categories, A through E — a category D felony carries 1 to 4 years in prison and a fine up to $5,000 under NRS 193.130(2)(d).
- What are the penalties for a DUI in Nevada?
- Nevada’s limit is 0.08 BAC under NRS 484C.110(1)(b), and NRS 484C.400(1) tiers offenses within 7 years. A first offense is a misdemeanor: 2 days to 6 months in jail, or 48 to 96 hours of community service, plus a $400 to $1,000 fine and DUI school. A third offense within 7 years is a category B felony carrying 1 to 6 years in prison, with probation unavailable.
- How long do I have to act after a Nevada DUI arrest before my temporary license expires?
- The temporary license an officer issues after a Nevada DUI arrest is effective for only 7 days including the date of issuance, under NRS 484C.220(1) — so you generally have 7 days to act before it expires. The DMV revocation runs on a separate, parallel track from the criminal case. Call Vegas Golden Law in Las Vegas at 702-385-7170 rather than letting that clock run.
- What is a casino marker, and is it really a crime?
- Yes. Nevada prosecutes an unpaid casino marker as a bad-check offense: NRS 205.130(1)(e) expressly covers a draft passed to obtain credit extended by a licensed gaming establishment. At $1,200 or more — one marker, or a series passed within 90 days — it is a category D felony carrying 1 to 4 years and a fine up to $5,000. Restitution is mandatory.
- How long do I have to pay a casino marker after I receive notice?
- Five days, not ten. NRS 205.132(1)(b) presumes intent to defraud unless the drawer pays the amount in full, plus handling charges, within 5 days after receiving notice. The same subsection treats a credit instrument as presented in the usual course of business if presented within 2 years of issuance. The Clark County District Attorney’s Bad Check Unit can be reached at (702) 671-4701.
- What happens if I get a citation at Red Rock Canyon or Lake Mead?
- Both are federal land, but under different agencies with different ceilings. Lake Mead National Recreation Area is National Park Service land under 36 CFR, where a violation carries a fine and not more than 6 months — a petty offense. Red Rock Canyon is BLM land under 43 CFR 8360.0-7: up to $1,000 and up to 12 months, so not every Red Rock violation is petty.
- Do I get a public defender for a federal petty offense?
- Not necessarily. Fed. R. Crim. P. 58(b)(2) states there is no right to a jury trial for a petty offense, and no right to appointed counsel for a petty offense for which counsel is not required. A petty offense is a Class B or C misdemeanor or an infraction under 18 U.S.C. § 19. These cases are heard by a magistrate judge in the District of Nevada.
- Do I have to appear in court for a federal violation notice in Nevada?
- Often not. A Central Violations Bureau citation can usually be resolved without appearing — unless Box A on the face of the violation notice is checked, in which case appearance is mandatory. Fed. R. Crim. P. 58(d)(1) lets the court accept a fixed-sum payment in lieu of appearance and end the case. In Las Vegas these matters are heard at the Lloyd D. George Courthouse.
- Can I get my Nevada record sealed, and how long do I have to wait?
- Often, yes. NRS 179.245 sets the wait from release from custody or discharge from parole or probation: 1 year for most misdemeanors, 2 years for a gross misdemeanor or category E felony, 5 years for a category B, C, or D felony, and 10 years for a category A felony or crime of violence. Dismissed and acquitted cases can be petitioned immediately under NRS 179.255(1).
- What criminal charges does Vegas Golden Law defend?
- Vegas Golden Law defends misdemeanors and felonies in Nevada state courts and in the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada: assault and battery, burglary, casino markers, domestic violence, drug offenses, DUI, firearms and weapons offenses, homicide, rape, solicitation, and theft, robbery and larceny. It also handles parole hearings and probation violations and revocations in Clark County.
- Does Vegas Golden Law handle federal cases?
- Yes. Andrew Wong, Esq., practises primarily in federal criminal defense at Vegas Golden Law. He was an assistant federal public defender in the District of Nevada from 2018 to 2022 and in the Eastern District of California from 2017 to 2018, and clerked for a U.S. magistrate judge in Las Vegas from 2015 to 2017. He handles federal public land offenses.
- What types of personal injury cases does Vegas Golden Law take?
- Vegas Golden Law represents people injured in car crashes, by defective products, in dog bites, and in slip and falls, throughout Clark County, Nevada, and in Pahrump. A claim can seek compensation for medical expenses, lost wages and future earnings, and pain and suffering. Consultations are free, seven days a week. Call 702-385-7170 to talk through what happened.
- What areas does Vegas Golden Law serve?
- Vegas Golden Law practises throughout Clark County, Nevada — Las Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas, Boulder City, Mesquite, Searchlight, Goodsprings, Moapa, Moapa Valley, and Bunkerville — and represents clients in Pahrump. The office is at 500 Rose St., Las Vegas, NV 89106. The firm also appears in the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada.
- What languages does Vegas Golden Law speak?
- Yi Lin Zheng, Esq., the founding attorney at Vegas Golden Law, is fluent in English, Mandarin, and Cantonese, so a client can discuss a Clark County criminal or personal injury matter in any of the three. The Las Vegas office at 500 Rose St. is open seven days a week, 8:30 am to 5:30 pm, and consultations are free. Call 702-385-7170.
- When can I reach Vegas Golden Law?
- Vegas Golden Law is available seven days a week, from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm, weekends included. The office is at 500 Rose St., Las Vegas, NV 89106; the phone number is 702-385-7170 and the email address is [email protected]. Consultations are free, and the firm takes matters from across Clark County, Nevada, and from Pahrump.
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