Case library
Nevada family-law decisions, briefed for practice.
Practitioner summaries with key holdings, posture, disposition, and the statutes cited - up front, where you need them. Every summary links to the full opinion.
35 results for “NRS Chapter 432B” in Child Welfare
IN RE: GUARDIANSHIP OF B.A.A.R.
Sep 3, 202020-32489 · 78626-COA · Nevada Supreme Court
Reversed and remanded.Standard of review: The Court of Appeals reviews factual determinations for abuse of discretion, In re Guardianship of N.M., 131 Nev. 751, 754, 358 P.3d 216, 218 (2015), but applies de novo review to questions of…
IN RE: N.D., G.D. AND M.D. (FAMILY)
Jan 8, 202626-00946 · 90392 · Nevada Supreme Court
Appeal allowed to proceed.The court addressed a jurisdictional question of first impression after In re A.B.: whether an order dismissing a NRS Chapter 432B child-protection petition is substantively appealable. Appellate jurisdiction in Nevada…
DESTIN VS. DIST. CT. (HANDWERKER-LAMASTER) (CHILD CUSTODY)
Aug 28, 202525-37656 · 89114 · Nevada Supreme Court
Petition denied.Standard of review. Mandamus may issue under NRS 34.160 to compel performance of an act the law requires, and under Nev. Const. art. 6, § 4. Relief is available only where the district court "manifestly abused [its]…
IN RE: PARENTAL RIGHTS AS TO L.R.S., J.M.S. AND J.L.S.
Sep 19, 202424-34571 · 86682 · Nevada Supreme Court
Reversed and remanded.Standard of review. The court reviewed conclusions of law, including statutory construction, de novo (Dewey v. Redev. Agency of Reno, 119 Nev. 87, 93-94, 64 P.3d 1070, 1075 (2003)), and factual findings for substantial…
IN RE: PARENTAL RIGHTS AS TO L.L.S.
May 27, 202121-15207 · 79124 · Nevada Supreme Court
Reversed and remanded.Standard of review: Constitutional questions, including a parent's procedural due process rights in a termination proceeding, are reviewed de novo. In re Parental Rights as to M.F., 132 Nev. 209, 212, 371 P.3d 995, 997…
IN RE: GUARDIANSHIP OF D.M.F.
Sep 28, 202323-31813 · 84274 · Nevada Supreme Court
Reversed and remanded with instructions.Standard of review. The court reviews guardianship determinations for abuse of discretion, citing Jason S. v. Valley Hosp. Med. Ctr. (In re Guardianship of L.S. & H.S.), 120 Nev. 157, 87 P.3d 521 (2004), and State v.…
IN RE: PARENTAL RIGHTS AS TO T.M.R.
May 27, 202121-15209 · 81032 · Nevada Supreme Court
Affirmed.The opinion resolves an ambiguity in Nevada's civil discovery framework as applied to parental-rights terminations. The Court reviews a denial of a motion in limine for abuse of discretion under State ex rel. Department…
CERNAK VS. DIST. CT. (DEP'T. OF FAMILY SERV.)
Feb 22, 202424-06411 · 87795 · Nevada (SCOTN/COA)
Petition denied.The court first addressed appealability. Citing NRAP 3A(b)(7) and Matter of L.L.S., 137 Nev. 241, 244, 487 P.3d 791, 796 (2021), the court reiterated that orders entered in NRS Chapter 432B juvenile-court proceedings…
IN RE: MATTER OF E.R. C/W 73198
May 3, 201818-16764 · 73272 · Nevada Supreme Court
Petitions granted.Standard of review: A writ of mandamus may issue "to compel the performance of an act that the law requires or to control an arbitrary or capricious exercise of discretion." Clark Cty. Dist. Att'y v. Eighth Judicial…
MULKERN VS. DIST. CT. (CLARK CTY. DEP'T OF FAMILY SERV.'S)
Oct 18, 201818-40945 · 76399 · Nevada Supreme Court
Petition granted in part.Standard of review and writ standards. The court reiterated that mandamus is available to compel an act required by law or to control arbitrary or capricious exercises of discretion, citing Int'l Game Tech., Inc. v.…
GRAY VS. STATE OF NEVADA (CHILD CUSTODY)
Apr 2, 202424-11656 · 87979 · Nevada (SCOTN/COA)
Appeal dismissed.The court conducted a sua sponte jurisdictional review of the notices of appeal. Appellate jurisdiction in Nevada requires a final, appealable order or an order made appealable by statute or rule. The challenged orders…
WASHOE CTY. HUMAN SERVS. AGENCY VS. DIST. CT. (C.-S.)
Dec 29, 202222-40818 · 83422 · Nevada Supreme Court
Petition denied.The court (Hardesty, C.J., for an en banc court) addressed two threshold issues — writ jurisdiction and mootness — before reaching a substantive due process question. Writ jurisdiction. Citing NRS 34.170, In re William…
IN RE: PARENTAL RIGHTS AS TO A.P.M. AND E.M.M.
Sep 10, 201515-27323 · 64214 · Nevada Supreme Court
Affirmed.Standard of review. A party petitioning to terminate parental rights must establish by clear and convincing evidence that termination is in the child's best interest and that parental fault exists, citing In re Parental…
IN RE: MATTER OF J.B. (CHILD CUSTODY)
Nov 20, 202525-50796 · 90275 · Nevada (SCOTN/COA)
Petition for a writ of mandamus granted.The Supreme Court entertained the original mandamus petition because placement orders are not appealable, consistent with In re Matter of J.B., 140 Nev., Adv. Op. 39, 550 P.3d 333, 337 (2024). On standing, the court…
IN RE: A.T., A MINOR (FAMILY)
Jun 12, 202525-26203 · 89128 · Nevada Supreme Court
Petition denied.Standard of review and writ jurisdiction. The court reviewed statutory interpretation de novo, citing Hobbs v. State, 127 Nev. 234, 237, 251 P.3d 177, 179 (2011). Mandamus is available to compel a duty or control a…
IN RE: MATTER OF A. ST. A.
Aug 14, 202424-28719 · 87760 · Nevada (SCOTN/COA)
Petition denied.The petition was brought as an original writ proceeding because a district court placement order in an NRS Chapter 432B case is not appealable; writ review is the appropriate vehicle. See Philip R. v. Eighth Jud. Dist.…
IN RE: PARENTAL RIGHTS AS TO S.A.T. (FAMILY)
Oct 2, 202525-43008 · 89258 · Nevada Supreme Court
Affirmed.Standard of review: questions of law are reviewed de novo; the district court's factual findings are reviewed for substantial evidence. In re Parental Rts. as to A.L., 130 Nev. 914, 918, 337 P.3d 758, 761 (2014). The…
IN RE: PARENTAL RIGHTS AS TO R.A.S.
Apr 24, 202525-18288 · 88174 · Nevada Supreme Court
Reversed.The Court began with a doctrinal framing distinguishing privately initiated termination petitions from those initiated by the state under NRS Chapter 128. While both fall within NRS Chapter 128 without statutory…
IN RE: K.B. AND Z. C.-H. (CHILD CUSTODY)
Oct 26, 202323-34951 · 87432 · Nevada (SCOTN/COA)
Appeal dismissed.The court dismissed the appeal sua sponte for lack of appellate jurisdiction following its initial jurisdictional review of the notices of appeal. The order on review was a district court order for protective custody of…
IN RE: M.J. (CHILD CUSTODY)
Jun 13, 202424-20599 · 88341 · Nevada (SCOTN/COA)
Appeal dismissed.The court dismissed the appeal sua sponte for lack of appellate jurisdiction. The challenged order established temporary custody of a minor under NRS Chapter 432B and set the matter for further proceedings. Relying on…
IN RE: M.J. (CHILD CUSTODY)
Apr 2, 202424-11657 · 87980 · Nevada (SCOTN/COA)
Appeal dismissed.The court dismissed sua sponte for lack of appellate jurisdiction. The challenged order established temporary custody under NRS Chapter 432B and set the matter for further proceedings. Citing In re Temporary Custody of…
IN RE: MATTER OF N.R.R. AND N.I.R.
Dec 5, 202424-46374 · 88007 · Nevada Supreme Court
Petition granted.Standard of review and writ framework. The court reviewed matters of statutory construction de novo, citing In re Guardianship of Rubin, 137 Nev. 288, 491 P.3d 1 (2021), and Manuela H. v. Eighth Jud. Dist. Ct., 132 Nev.…
IN RE: A.R. (CHILD CUSTODY)
Jun 28, 202424-22657 · 88709 · Nevada (SCOTN/COA)
Appeal dismissed.The court addressed appellate jurisdiction over an order entered in a juvenile court proceeding that placed a minor child for adoption and gave effect to a post-adoptive contact agreement. Applying NRAP 3A(b)(7), which…
IN RE: A.S. (FAMILY)
Sep 17, 202525-40543 · 91091 · Nevada (SCOTN/COA)
Appeal dismissed.The court dismissed the appeal sua sponte for lack of appellate jurisdiction. The challenged order placed a minor child in temporary protective custody under NRS Chapter 432B. Citing In re Temp. Custody of Five Minor…
In re Parental Rights as to A.L.
Nov 13, 201463311 · Nevada Supreme Court
Reversed and remanded.The Nevada Supreme Court, sitting en banc in an opinion by Justice Parraguirre, reversed a district court order terminating a mother's parental rights and remanded for a new trial, holding that DFS confessed error under…
CRISTOS VS. TOLAGSON (CHILD CUSTODY)
Apr 20, 202323-12301 · 84167-COA · Nevada (SCOTN/COA)
Judgment of the district court AFFIRMED but REMANDED for the limited purpose of correcting the clerical error.Standard of review: After a bench trial, the court reviews legal conclusions de novo and upholds factual findings supported by substantial evidence, citing Vegas United Inv. Series 105, Inc. v. Celtic Bank Corp., 135…
B. VS. DIST. CT. (CLARK CNTY. DEP'T FAM. SERV.) (FAMILY)
Nov 7, 202525-48691 · 91507-COA · Nevada (SCOTN/COA)
Petition denied.This is an original proceeding seeking extraordinary writ relief - a writ of mandamus or prohibition - challenging the district court's jurisdiction in a proceeding under NRS Chapter 432B. The court set out the…
IN RE: E.W.B., E.W.B., A.W.B., A.W.B., AND T.B. (CHILD CUSTODY)
Feb 7, 202525-06144 · 89846 · Nevada (SCOTN/COA)
Appeal dismissed.The court applied the settled rule that appellate jurisdiction exists only where authorized by statute or court rule, citing Brown v. MHC Stagecoach, LLC, 129 Nev. 343, 345, 301 P.3d 850, 851 (2013). Applying that…
DAWSON VS. DIST. CT. (DEPT. FAMILY SERV.) (FAMILY)
Apr 29, 202626-19361 · 92113-COA · Nevada (SCOTN/COA)
Petition denied.The court began with the standard governing extraordinary writ relief: mandamus is available to compel performance of an act the law requires as a duty resulting from an office, trust, or station, or to control an…
IN RE: PARENTAL RIGHTS AS TO A.D.L. AND C.L.B., JR.
Oct 5, 201717-33798 · 69047 · Nevada Supreme Court
Reversed.The court reviewed the district court's findings of fact for substantial evidence, applying close scrutiny because termination of parental rights is "tantamount to imposition of a civil death penalty." In re Parental…
IN RE: GUARDIANSHIP OF WITTLER
Aug 1, 201919-32345 · 76948 · Nevada Supreme Court
Appeal dismissed.The opinion is a jurisdictional dismissal addressing whether a district court order extending a temporary guardianship and denying a motion to dismiss is independently appealable. Appellate jurisdiction in Nevada exists…
IN RE: PARENTAL RIGHTS AS TO L.I.
Aug 11, 202222-25197 · 83673 · Nevada (SCOTN/COA)
Affirmed.The court reviewed the termination order under the substantial-evidence standard. See In re Termination of Parental Rights as to N.J., 116 Nev. 790, 795, 8 P.3d 126, 129 (2000). Although the appellant did not challenge…
IN RE: PARENTAL RIGHTS AS TO A.J.B.
Dec 15, 202222-39372 · 84130 · Nevada (SCOTN/COA)
Affirmed.The court reviewed the procedural due process challenge de novo, citing Callie v. Bowling, 123 Nev. 181, 183, 160 P.3d 878, 879 (2007), for the requirement that a party receive notice and an opportunity to be heard. On…
IN RE: MATTER OF E.R. C/W 73198
May 3, 201818-16764 · 73198 · Nevada Supreme Court
Petitions granted.Standard of review: The court reviewed the consolidated original mandamus petitions under NRS 34.160, noting that mandamus is the appropriate vehicle to challenge an NRS Chapter 432B placement order because such orders…
IN RE: PARENTAL RIGHTS AS TO J.B.J.
May 14, 202424-16818 · 86116 · Nevada (SCOTN/COA)
Affirmed.Standard of review: Questions of law are reviewed de novo, and the district court's factual findings are reviewed for substantial evidence - "that which 'a reasonable person may accept as adequate' to support a…
Every summary is independently verified against the source opinion; summaries are informational research aids, not legal advice, and no substitute for reading the decision. Topic groupings are derived automatically from each case’s category tag and cited statutes; a case may appear under two topics.