2023 Nevada Revised Statutes › Chapter 484A - Traffic Laws Generally › NRS 484A.615 - Court or traffic violations bureau authorized to establish system to allow person to respond to traffic citation or civil infraction citation by mail or electronic means; requirements of system; exceptions; Nevada Supreme Court may adopt rules regarding system.

1. A court having jurisdiction over an offense for which a traffic citation must be issued pursuant to NRS 484A.630 or that is punishable as a civil infraction pursuant to NRS 484A.703 to 484A.705, inclusive, or its traffic violations bureau may establish a system by which, except as otherwise provided in subsection 6, the court or traffic violations bureau may allow:
(a) A person who has been issued a traffic citation or a civil infraction citation that is filed with the court or traffic violations bureau to perform certain actions approved by the court or traffic violations bureau, including, without limitation, to make a plea and state his or her defense or, if authorized, any mitigating circumstances, by mail, by electronic mail, over the Internet or by other electronic means.
(b) A peace officer who issued a civil infraction citation to a person or, if the provisions of NRS 484A.7049 apply, a peace officer who halted a person, to perform certain actions approved by the court or traffic violations bureau, including, without limitation, to submit a written statement under oath by mail, by electronic mail, over the Internet or by other electronic means in lieu of his or her personal appearance at the hearing held pursuant to NRS 484A.7041 to contest the determination that the person who has been issued the civil infraction citation committed a civil infraction.
2. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 6, if a court or traffic violations bureau has established a system pursuant to subsection 1, the court or traffic violations bureau may allow:
(a) A person described in paragraph (a) of subsection 1 to use the system to perform certain actions approved by the court or traffic violations bureau, including, without limitation, to make a plea or state his or her defense or, if authorized, any mitigating circumstances in lieu of making a plea and statement of his or her defense or any mitigating circumstances in court.
(b) A peace officer described in paragraph (b) of subsection 1 to use the system to perform certain actions approved by the court or traffic violations bureau, including, without limitation, to submit a written statement under oath in lieu of making a personal appearance in court.
3. Any plea or statement submitted through the system by a person or peace officer pursuant to subsection 2 must be received by the court before the date on which the person is required to appear in court pursuant to the traffic citation or civil infraction citation.
4. If a court or traffic violations bureau allows an eligible person to whom a traffic citation or civil infraction citation is issued to use a system established pursuant to subsection 1 to make a plea and state his or her defense or, if authorized, any mitigating circumstances and the person chooses to make a plea and state his or her defense or any mitigating circumstances by using such a system, the person waives any relevant constitutional right, including, without limitation, the right to a trial, the right to confront any witnesses and the right to counsel, as applicable.
5. Any system established pursuant to subsection 1 must:
(a) For the purpose of authenticating that the person making the plea and statement of his or her defense or any mitigating circumstances or performing any other approved action is the person to whom the traffic citation or civil infraction citation was issued, be capable of requiring the person to submit any of the following information, as applicable, at the discretion of the court or traffic violations bureau:
(1) The traffic citation number or civil infraction citation number;
(2) The name and address of the person;
(3) The state registration number of the person’s vehicle, if any;
(4) The number of the driver’s license of the person, if any;
(5) The offense charged or the civil infraction for which the citation was issued; and
(6) Any other information required by any rules adopted by the Nevada Supreme Court pursuant to subsection 7.
(b) For the purposes of authenticating that the peace officer submitting the written statement or performing any other approved action is the peace officer who issued the civil infraction citation, be capable of requiring the peace officer to submit any of the following information at the discretion of the court or traffic violations bureau:
(1) The civil infraction citation number;
(2) The civil infraction for which the citation was issued; and
(3) The first initial, last name and personnel number of the peace officer.
(c) Provide notice to each person who uses the system to make a plea and statement of his or her defense or any mitigating circumstances that the person waives any relevant constitutional right, including, without limitation, the right to a trial, the right to confront any witnesses and the right to counsel, as applicable.
(d) If a plea and statement of the defense or mitigating circumstances of a person or a written statement of a peace officer is submitted by electronic mail, over the Internet or by other electronic means:
(1) Confirm receipt of:
(I) The plea and statement to the person making the plea; and
(II) The written statement to the peace officer; or
(2) Make available to:
(I) The person making the plea a copy of the plea and statement; and
(II) The peace officer submitting the written statement a copy of the written statement.
6. A person who has been issued a traffic citation for any of the following offenses may not make a plea and state his or her defense or any mitigating circumstances by using a system established pursuant to subsection 1:
(a) Aggressive driving in violation of NRS 484B.650;
(b) Reckless driving in violation of NRS 484B.653;
(c) Vehicular manslaughter in violation of NRS 484B.657; or
(d) Driving, operating or being in actual physical control of a vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or a controlled substance in violation of NRS 484C.110 or 484C.120, as applicable.
7. The Nevada Supreme Court may adopt rules not inconsistent with the laws of this State to carry out the provisions of this section.
(Added to NRS by 2019, 380; A 2021, 3321, 3466)