Monday, November 25, 2013

Legal Las Vegas: Advice on Divorce, Alcohol & More




This guest post is contributed by Farhan Naqvi.
 
While it may not be known as the “City of Love,” Las Vegas is actually known as "The Marriage Capital of the World," especially for those looking to move as quickly as possible through the wedding nuptials to the honeymoon.
 
With so many impromptu marriage ceremonies, there are also numerous quick-turnaround divorces, both of which present certain legal issues that are unique to this desert oasis.
 
But is Las Vegas really the frontier town some people describe, with loosely applied laws and easy virtue? Not hardly.
 
The Myth of the Quickie Divorce
 
Okay. It is not a total myth but it also isn't a walk in the park. It is only easy when compared to the protracted war a typical divorce can be. The rules still read like the instructions to defuse an atom bomb; and it is still a good idea to get an attorney. A badly structured divorce will follow you home from Vegas.
 
If you do retain a divorce attorney, a Las Vegas Divorce is quicker than, say, a divorce in 49 other states. However, if you don't live in Vegas it isn't without residency requirements and other inconvenient things, called laws, that you must still obey.
 
Finders Keepers?
 
We all know that famous adage, meaning that whatever you find on the ground is yours to keep - it is a phrase that kids across the country use to govern daily activities.
 
These words though, have virtually no force in the casinos of Las Vegas, as all tickets and chips left behind by an unknowing visitor may quickly become the property of the management. While a gambler may assume they have struck gold by finding a winning ticket by the door, attempting to cash this check may be considered petit larceny (a misdemeanor) if the value is less than $650, or grand larceny (a felony) if worth more. This only applies to specific casinos though and is a rather native concept to this mecca of gambling where the house always seems to have the advantage.
 
Find the Right Place to Drink
 
Unlike many places in the rest of the United States, it is legal to have an open container of alcohol when in designated areas on the Strip and downtown. Furthermore, possessing an open container on public transportation is also permitted. This leads some to the erroneous conclusion that the drinking laws in Las Vegas allow consumption of alcohol virtually anywhere.
 
Though it is legal to possess an open alcohol container on the Strip, the containers must be made of plastic. Also certain dates make outdoor drinking in most locations illegal. Any violation of these laws may result in an arrest.
 
Because of the leniency of the laws governing open containers in certain parts of the city, many people unknowingly violate the law. Some believe that 40% of all tourist arrests involve a violation of the open container laws. When in doubt, ask.
 
Know the rules
 
No matter what you have heard, read or seen about the Las Vegas marriage, divorce or party scene, you have not entered a lawless backwater town built specifically for your care-free escape.
 
Like any other place in the nation, residents and visitors in Las Vegas are subject to rules and regulations that help support a stable society. With the flashy lights, exciting venues and hoards of visitors roaming the streets, the last thing on your mind is police, security guards, attorneys, and courts of law still, but they do still exist.
 
On the other hand, if it is your first time in Vegas, we might be lenient. You never know. After all, we want you to come back!
 
This guest post is contributed by Farhan Naqvi, an attorney at Naqvi Law in Las Vegas, NV. He was voted 2012 top personal injury lawyer by Vegas INC magazine.