Reno Justice Court is located at 1 South Sierra Street, Reno, NV 89501, in the Mills B. Lane Justice Center. The phone number is (775) 325-6500, and the email address is [email protected].
Operating hours are Monday through Friday from 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM. But due to Covid-19 / coronavirus, the building is not open to the public. Most hearings are being conducted over telephone or video. Call the court for more information.
In this article our Nevada criminal defense attorneys answer these frequently-asked-questions:
- 1. What cases are in Reno Justice Court?
- 2. How do I access my case online?
- 3. How do I pay my fines online?
- 4. Can I choose to do community service instead of paying fines?
- 5. What is the penalty for skipping a hearing?
- 6. Will the judge give me a public defender?
- 7. Where do I park?
- 8. How should I dress?
- 9. What if I do not live in Nevada?
- 10. What happens if I do not speak English?
- 11. Am I allowed to carry firearms in the courthouse?
- 12. Can I get my criminal record sealed?
- 13. Reno Municipal Court information
1. What cases are in Reno Justice Court?
Reno Township Justice Court (RJC) has jurisdiction over these civil and criminal cases:
- Misdemeanors (which comprises traffic citations) in unincorporated Reno. Reno Municipal Court handles misdemeanors arising out of the city’s incorporated boundaries.
- Felonies and gross misdemeanors that allegedly occurred anywhere in Reno. However, these cases will get transferred (bound over) to the Second Judicial District Court if the charges do not get dismissed or reduced to misdemeanors.
- Landlord/tenant and evictions disputes
- Small claims cases (up to $10,000)
- Civil actions (up to $15,000)
- Restraining orders, except for domestic violence temporary protection orders (TPOs), which are handled in District Court
People may appeal their RJC cases to the Washoe County District Court, not the Nevada Supreme Court.
2. How do I access my case online?
Go to the Reno Justice case search website. You can search by case number or name.
3. How do I pay my fines online?
To pay traffic tickets online, click here. To pay fines for non-traffic ticket criminal cases, click here.
LVJC accepts Visa, MasterCard, and Discover credit or debit cards.
4. Can I choose to do community service instead of paying fines?
Yes, if the judge preapproves it. Defendants can work off $10 for each hour of community service they give.
5. What is the penalty for skipping a hearing?
Criminal defendants who fail to show up to required appearances in person or online will have a bench warrant issued for their arrest. (There is a 30-day grace period for traffic citations.)
Once a warrant has been issued, defendants are vulnerable to arrest at any time. But a criminal defense attorney can file a motion to quash the warrant. And unless the defendant has a history of skipping appearances, the criminal defense attorney can appear at the motion hearing without the defendant.
Learn about doing remote RJC appearances via Zoom.
6. Will the judge give me a public defender?
Defendants unable to pay for private counsel will be appointed an attorney from the Washoe County Public Defenders Office.
7. Where do I park?
It is recommended that people park in the Parking Gallery at the corner of 1st Street and North Sierra Street.
Otherwise, there is metered parking on the roads adjacent to the courthouse.
8. How should I dress?
Judges prohibit tank tops, shorts and cut-offs. People without shirts or shoes will be turned away.
9. What if I do not live in Nevada?
All defendants in criminal cases – whether local or not – are advised to hire a Reno criminal defense attorney to represent them. In most cases, the attorney can appear for them (either in person or telephonically) without the defendant having to be present.
Note that defendants must appear in person for preliminary hearings or trials, even if they have private counsel.
10. What happens if I do not speak English?
RJC supplies interpreters, but call or email ahead of time at 775.328.3152 or [email protected].
11. Am I allowed to carry my firearms in the courthouse?
Never. And there is a metal detector at the building’s entrance.
12. Can I get my criminal case sealed?
Every criminal case that resolves in RJC can be sealed, but there is a waiting period. The only cases that can be sealed right away are charges that get dismissed. And certain cases that transfer to Washoe County District Court can never be sealed.
| Conviction in Nevada |
Waiting period to get a record seal (after the case closes) |
|---|---|
| The majority of misdemeanors | 1 year |
| Gross misdemeanors, category E felonies, and misdemeanor battery, harassment, stalking, or violation of a protection order | 2 years |
| The majority of category D felonies, category C felonies, or category B felonies | 5 years |
| Misdemeanor DUI and battery domestic violence | 7 years |
| Category A felonies, burglary of a residence, and felony crimes of violence | 10 years |
| Certain sex crimes, crimes against children, invasion of the home with a deadly weapon, and felony DUI. | Never |
Learh how to seal Nevada criminal records.
13. Reno Municipal Court information
RMC is located in the same building as RJC, at 1 South Sierra Street, Reno, NV 89501. The phone number is 775-334-2290. Learn more about the official website.
Helpful Links
- Official website
- Traffic School
- Sheriff’s Community Work Program (SCWP).
- Rules
- Forms
- Fees
- Electronic filing
- Record seal packet
- Washoe County District Attorney
- Nevada Reports
