Nevada Revised Statutes 41B.250 – Criminal action: Conclusive effect of judgment of conviction; admissibility of judgment of conviction in civil action
1. If a court in this state or any other jurisdiction enters a judgment of conviction against a person in which the person is found to have been a culpable actor in the felonious and intentional killing of a decedent:
Terms Used In Nevada Revised Statutes 41B.250
- Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
- Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
- Decedent: A deceased person.
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- Nolo contendere: No contest-has the same effect as a plea of guilty, as far as the criminal sentence is concerned, but may not be considered as an admission of guilt for any other purpose.
- person: means a natural person, any form of business or social organization and any other nongovernmental legal entity including, but not limited to, a corporation, partnership, association, trust or unincorporated organization. See Nevada Revised Statutes 0.039
- Plea: In a criminal case, the defendant's statement pleading "guilty" or "not guilty" in answer to the charges, a declaration made in open court.
(a) The conviction conclusively establishes for the purposes of this chapter that the person feloniously and intentionally killed the decedent; and
(b) The person shall be deemed to be a killer of the decedent.
2. Notwithstanding the provisions of NRS 48.125 or 51.295 or any other provision of law, a judgment of conviction described in subsection 1, including, without limitation, a judgment of conviction based upon a plea of nolo contendere, is admissible in any civil action brought pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.
3. For the purposes of this section:
(a) A court in ‘any other jurisdiction’ includes, without limitation, a tribal court or a court of the United States or the Armed Forces of the United States.
(b) A court ‘enters’ a judgment of conviction against a person on the date on which guilt is admitted, adjudicated or found, whether or not:
(1) The court has imposed a sentence, a penalty or other sanction for the conviction; or
(2) The person has exercised any right to appeal the conviction.
(c) A killing in this state that constitutes murder of the first or second degree, as defined in NRS 200.010, 200.020 and 200.030, or voluntary manslaughter, as defined in NRS 200.040, 200.050 and 200.060, shall be deemed to be a felonious and intentional killing.