Not every Washoe County case goes through Reno. Incline Village and Crystal Bay, on the county’s stretch of the lake, have their own justice court, covered on the Incline Village–Crystal Bay Justice Court page. A case from Reno Township starts in Reno Justice Court, and every felony and gross misdemeanor in the county is tried in the Second Judicial District Court in Reno.
I’m Theodore FitzGerald, a criminal defense lawyer in Stateline. I work from one rule: the government has to follow the law at every step, in Reno’s courts as in Douglas County’s.
Reno Justice Court
Reno Justice Court describes itself as a court of limited jurisdiction for Reno Township, with three divisions: Citation, Civil, and Criminal. Its Criminal Division handles cases prosecuted by the Washoe County District Attorney’s Office, or in some cases the Nevada Attorney General’s Office.
All misdemeanor, gross misdemeanor, and felony cases in Reno Township start there. The court is the trial court for misdemeanors. For gross misdemeanors and felonies it holds the preliminary hearing, within 15 days unless the hearing is waived or the judge extends the time for good cause. If the judge finds probable cause, the case goes to the Second Judicial District Court; if not, the defendant is discharged.
Arraignment. The court publishes its own instructions. Out-of-custody arraignments are at 9:30 a.m., Monday through Thursday. Check in at the arraignment counter on the first floor by 9:00 a.m.; the court says there are no exceptions, and someone who goes straight to the courtroom will have the arraignment reset. Constitutional rights are read by video in the courtroom before the hearing, and a defendant who is not in the room for it is not arraigned that day. Tank tops, shorts, and cut-offs are not allowed.
Moving the date. The court says a continuance of an arraignment requires a written or verbal stipulation from the District Attorney’s Office and can be up to two weeks.
Sparks Justice Court. Washoe County also runs Sparks Justice Court, (775) 353-7600.
The Second Judicial District Court
The Second Judicial District is Washoe County. Its district court tries the county’s felonies and gross misdemeanors and hears appeals from the justice courts. The general-jurisdiction courthouse is at 75 Court Street in Reno; the Family Division is at 1 South Sierra Street.
After a bindover, the case is arraigned in the district court on an information. A challenge to the probable-cause finding has to be filed within 21 days after the first appearance there. A misdemeanor conviction in a Washoe County justice court can be appealed to this court, but the notice is due within 10 days of the judgment.
Can I appear remotely?
Reno Justice Court’s published instructions are written for people who come to the courthouse, and its arraignment procedure depends on being in the courtroom for the rights video. None of the Washoe County court pages reviewed for this page publishes a remote-appearance procedure for a defendant who is out of custody. A remote appearance has to be requested and approved in advance; until it is, plan to be in Reno.
When a remote appearance is approved, treat it like a courtroom. Use a quiet room, a working camera and microphone, and dress as you would for court. Judges notice, and a clean remote appearance makes the next request easier to grant.
Address and contact
Reno Justice Court Mills B. Lane Justice Center, 1 South Sierra Street, Reno, NV 89501 Criminal Division: (775) 325-6500 District Attorney’s Office (for continuance stipulations): (775) 328-3200 Washoe County general line: 311 or (775) 328-2003 Court website: washoecounty.gov/rjc (case search, payments, text notifications)
Second Judicial District Court 75 Court Street, Reno, NV 89501 · (775) 328-3110 Family Division: 1 S. Sierra Street, Reno, NV 89501 Resource Center (case numbers, payments): (775) 325-6731, Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Court website: washoecourts.com
Working with FitzGerald Law in Reno
On a Washoe County case, my office confirms which court and township the case is in, requests a remote appearance where the court will consider one, and tells you in advance which dates need you in the courtroom. Continuances in Reno Justice Court run through the District Attorney’s Office, so those are arranged in writing before the date, not at the counter that morning.
The date on your paperwork is already set. Hire me now, and I’ll get to work on everything that comes before it. Call FitzGerald Law.