Assembly Bill No. 270

Assembly Bill No. 270-Committee on Judiciary

CHAPTER

504

AN ACT relating to criminal procedure; allowing a prosecuting attorney to dismiss a case without prejudice in certain situations; and providing other matters properly relating thereto.

[Approved July 16, 1997]

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

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Section 1. NRS 174.085 is hereby amended to read as follows:
174.085 1. If [the] a defendant was formerly acquitted on the ground of a variance between the indictment, information or complaint and proof, or the indictment, information, or complaint was dismissed upon an objection to its form or substance, or in order to hold [the] a defendant for a higher offense without a judgment of acquittal, it is not an acquittal of the same offense.
2. [Whenever the] If a defendant is acquitted on the merits, he is acquitted of the same offense, notwithstanding [any] a defect in the form or substance in the indictment, information, or complaint on which the trial was had.
3. When [the] a defendant is convicted or acquitted, or has been once placed in jeopardy upon an indictment, information or complaint, except as otherwise provided in [subsection 5,] subsections 5 and 6, the conviction, acquittal or jeopardy is a bar to another indictment, information or complaint for the offense charged in the former, or for an attempt to commit the same, or for an offense necessarily included therein, of which he might have been convicted under that indictment, information or complaint.
4. In all cases where a jury is discharged or prevented from giving a verdict by reason of [any] an accident or other cause, except where the defendant is discharged during the progress of the trial or after the cause is submitted to them, the cause may be again tried.
5. The prosecuting attorney in a case that he has initiated, may voluntarily dismiss a complaint:
(a) Before a preliminary hearing if the crime with which the defendant is charged is a felony or gross misdemeanor; or
(b) Before trial if the crime with which the defendant is charged is a misdemeanor,
without prejudice to the right to file another complaint, unless the State of Nevada has previously filed a complaint against the defendant which was dismissed at the request of the prosecuting attorney. After the dismissal, the court shall order the defendant released from custody or, if he is released on bail, exonerate the obligors and release any bail.
6. If a prosecuting attorney files a subsequent complaint after a complaint concerning the same matter has been filed and dismissed against the defendant:
(a) The case must be assigned to the same judge to whom the initial complaint was assigned; and
(b) A court shall not issue a warrant for the arrest of a defendant who was released from custody pursuant to subsection 5 or require a defendant whose bail has been exonerated pursuant to subsection 5 to give bail unless the defendant does not appear in court in response to a properly issued summons in connection with the complaint.
7. The [district attorney of any county] prosecuting attorney in a case that he has initiated, may voluntarily dismiss an indictment [, information or complaint at any time prior to] or information before the actual arrest or incarceration of the defendant without prejudice to the right to bring another indictment [, information or complaint.] or information. After the arrest or incarceration of the defendant, [he may do so,] the prosecuting attorney may voluntarily dismiss an indictment or information without prejudice to [such right,] the right to bring another indictment or information only upon good cause shown to the court and upon written findings and a court order to that effect.
Sec. 2. NRS 178.562 is hereby amended to read as follows:
178.562 1. [An] Except as otherwise provided in NRS 174.085, an order for the dismissal of the action, as provided in NRS 178.554 and 178.556, [shall be] is a bar to another prosecution for the same offense.
2. The discharge of a person accused upon preliminary examination [shall be] is a bar to another complaint against him for the same offense, but [shall] does not bar the finding of an indictment or filing of an information.
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