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.
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46 results for “NRS 125C.0035(4)(j)”
TOUNG VS. REACHI SOLIS (CHILD CUSTODY)
Jun 16, 202691453-COA · Nevada (SCOTN/COA)
Affirmed. ("ORDER the judgment of the district court AFFIRMED.")Standard of review: The court reviews a child custody decision for an abuse of discretion. Ellis v. Carucci, 123 Nev. 145, 149, 161 P.3d 239, 241 (2007); see also Wallace v. Wallace, 112 Nev. 1015, 1019, 922 P.2d 541,…
SUMMIT VS. SUMMIT (CHILD CUSTODY)
Apr 24, 202626-18819 · 90741-COA · Nevada (SCOTN/COA)
Affirmed in part, vacated in part, and remanded.The court reviewed the district court's custody and parenting-time determinations for abuse of discretion. Ellis v. Carucci, 123 Nev. 145, 149, 161 P.3d 239, 241 (2007); see also Wallace v. Wallace, 112 Nev. 1015, 1019,…
GROVES VS. JOHNSON (CHILD CUSTODY)
Nov 18, 202525-50345 · 89931-COA · Nevada (SCOTN/COA)
ORDER the judgment of the district court AFFIRMED.The Court of Appeals reviewed both the custody determination and the relocation ruling for abuse of discretion. Ellis v. Carucci, 123 Nev. 145, 149, 161 P.3d 239, 241 (2007); Flynn v. Flynn, 120 Nev. 436, 440, 92 P.3d…
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…
PAVON VS. PAVON (CHILD CUSTODY)
Mar 24, 202323-09159 · 83376-COA · Nevada (SCOTN/COA)
"ORDER the judgment of the district court AFFIRMED."The Court of Appeals reviewed the child custody determination for an abuse of discretion and reaffirmed that findings will not be disturbed if supported by substantial evidence - "evidence that a reasonable person may…
MYERS VS. HASKINS (CHILD CUSTODY)
Jun 30, 2022138 Nev. Adv. Op. 51, 513 P.3d 527 (Ct. App. 2022) · 83576-COA · Nevada Supreme Court
Reversed and remanded with instructions.Standard of review: A district court's decision to deny a motion to modify physical custody without an evidentiary hearing is reviewed for abuse of discretion. Bautista v. Picone, 134 Nev. 334, 338, 419 P.3d 157, 160…
RAM VS. KIRAN (CHILD CUSTODY)
Jun 11, 202424-20328 · 87615-COA · Nevada (SCOTN/COA)
Affirmed. ("ORDER the judgment of the district court AFFIRMED.")Standard of review: Child custody decisions are reviewed for an abuse of discretion. Ellis v. Carucci, 123 Nev. 145, 149, 161 P.3d 239, 241 (2007). An abuse occurs when "no reasonable judge could reach a similar…
GOLD VS. GOLD (CHILD CUSTODY)
May 23, 202424-18179 · 86918-COA · Nevada (SCOTN/COA)
Affirmed. ("ORDER the judgment of the district court AFFIRMED.")The Court of Appeals reviewed the district court's child custody modification order for abuse of discretion, citing Roe v. Roe, 139 Nev., Adv. Op. 21, 535 P.3d 274, 284 (Ct. App. 2023), and reviewed the denial of the…
MIZRACHI VS. MIZRACHI, JR. (CHILD CUSTODY)
Oct 22, 202424-39875 · 86508-COA · Nevada (SCOTN/COA)
Affirmed. ("ORDER the judgment of the district court AFFIRMED.")The panel reviewed each of Dory's six assignments of error under the applicable standards and affirmed. Finality of the March 2022 order. Dory contended the March 2022 order was a final order resolving Eli's motion to…
HALL VS. LOFTIS (CHILD CUSTODY)
Jun 3, 202222-17755 · 81461-COA · Nevada (SCOTN/COA)
Affirmed. ("we ORDER the judgment of the district court AFFIRMED.")The court applied de novo review to Hall's jurisdictional challenges. Ogawa v. Ogawa, 125 Nev. 660, 667, 221 P.3d 699, 704 (2009). On the divorce-decree jurisdiction issue, the court noted Loftis pleaded only separate…
PROBST VS. CARNEY (CHILD CUSTODY)
Jun 26, 202525-28177 · 89437-COA · Nevada (SCOTN/COA)
Affirmed. ("ORDER the judgment of the district court AFFIRMED.")The court reviewed the child-custody rulings for abuse of discretion, affirming factual findings supported by substantial evidence — "evidence that a reasonable person may accept as adequate to sustain a judgment."…
PLATA VS. GUTIERREZ (CHILD CUSTODY)
Aug 21, 202691173-COA · Nevada (SCOTN/COA)
Affirmed in part, reversed in part, and remanded ("AFFIRMED IN PART AND REVERSED IN PART AND REMAND this matter to the district court for proceedings consistent with this order").Custody modification. The court of appeals reviewed the custody ruling for a clear abuse of discretion, quoting Ellis v. Carucci, 123 Nev. 145, 149, 161 P.3d 239, 241 (2007), that district courts enjoy "broad…
ROWBERRY VS. ROWBERRY (CHILD CUSTODY)
Aug 28, 202323-27999 · 85076-COA · Nevada (SCOTN/COA)
Reversed and remanded. ("ORDER the judgment of the district court REVERSED and REMANDED.")The Court of Appeals reviewed the district court's custody and relocation determinations for abuse of discretion. Ellis v. Carucci, 123 Nev. 145, 149, 161 P.3d 239, 241 (2007); Flynn v. Flynn, 120 Nev. 436, 440, 92 P.3d…
PEARSON VS. PEARSON (CHILD CUSTODY)
May 22, 202525-22824 · 89033-COA · Nevada (SCOTN/COA)
Reversed and remanded.**Standard of review.** The court reviewed the custody and relocation determination for abuse of discretion, noting that district courts enjoy "broad discretionary powers to determine child custody matters," which will…
IN RE: GUARDIANSHIP OF C.T.F. AND P.G.S.
Mar 23, 202222-09172 · 83443-COA · Nevada (SCOTN/COA)
Affirmed. ("we ORDER the judgment of the district court AFFIRMED.")**Standard of review.** The court reviewed the admissibility-of-hearsay ruling for abuse of discretion, citing In re Termination of Parental Rights as to N.J., 116 Nev. 790, 804, 8 P.3d 126, 135 (2000). It reviewed the…
HARRIS VS. FIGUEROA (CHILD CUSTODY)
Sep 13, 202323-30051 · 85333-COA · Nevada (SCOTN/COA)
Affirmed. ("we ORDER the judgment of the district court AFFIRMED.")The Court of Appeals reviewed the child custody determination for abuse of discretion. Wallace v. Wallace, 112 Nev. 1015, 1019, 922 P.2d 541, 543 (1996). A district court abuses its discretion when its decision is…
DAVIS VS. TROTTA (CHILD CUSTODY)
Apr 3, 202626-15252 · 90587-COA · Nevada (SCOTN/COA)
Affirmed.The Court of Appeals reviewed the denial of an NRCP 60(b)(1) motion for an abuse of discretion, citing Rodriguez v. Fiesta Palms, LLC, 134 Nev. 654, 656, 428 P.3d 255, 257 (2018), holding modified by Willard v.…
CALDERON VS. STIPP (CHILD CUSTODY)
Apr 11, 202222-11283 · 81888-COA · Nevada (SCOTN/COA)
Affirmed. ("ORDER the judgment of the district court AFFIRMED.")Standard of review: District courts have "broad discretionary powers in determining questions of child custody," and the appellate court "will not disturb the trial court's determinations absent a clear abuse of…
BACKMAN VS. GELBMAN (CHILD CUSTODY) C/W 91070
Jun 16, 202688482-COA · Nevada (SCOTN/COA)
Affirmed. ("we ORDER the judgments of the district court AFFIRMED.")**Standard of review.** The court reviewed child-custody determinations, including parenting-time decisions, for abuse of discretion, affirming factual findings supported by substantial evidence and leaving credibility…
HURD VS. OPIPARI (CHILD CUSTODY)
Aug 22, 202323-27372 · 85537-COA · Nevada (SCOTN/COA)
Reversed in part, vacated in part, and remanded.Standard of review: The district court has broad discretion in child custody matters, and the appellate court will not disturb custody determinations absent a clear abuse of discretion. Ellis v. Carucci, 123 Nev. 145,…
AMAYA VS. GUERRERO RIVERA (CHILD CUSTODY)
Jul 3, 2019135 Nev. Adv. Op. 27, 444 P.3d 450 (2019) · 75769 · Nevada Supreme Court
Reversed and remanded.The court reviewed de novo the interpretation of 8 U.S.C. § 1101(a)(27)(J) and NRS 3.2203, citing Int'l Game Tech., Inc. v. Second Judicial Dist. Court, 124 Nev. 193, 198, 179 P.3d 556, 559 (2008). The opinion describes…
KELLEY VS. KELLEY
Sep 28, 2023139 Nev. Adv. Op. 39, 535 P.3d 1147 (2023) · 84685 · Nevada Supreme Court
Affirmed.Standard of review. Whether the district court applied the correct legal standard, and whether that standard infringes a fundamental right, are reviewed de novo. Lawrence v. Clark County, 127 Nev. 390, 393, 254 P.3d…
SAVARD VS. SAVARD (CHILD CUSTODY)
Apr 14, 202626-17099 · 89248-COA · Nevada (SCOTN/COA)
Affirmed. ("ORDER the judgment of the district court AFFIRMED.")**Jurisdiction over the amended decree.** The court applied NRAP 4(a)(2) and NRAP 4(a)(6), holding that "[a] notice of appeal filed after the court announces a decision or order—but before the entry of the judgment or…
OCASIO VS. WIRSZ C/W 87589
Aug 20, 202687589-COA · Nevada (SCOTN/COA)
Affirmed. ("ORDER the judgments of the district court AFFIRMED.")**Standard of review.** Custody determinations are reviewed for a clear abuse of discretion, and will not be disturbed absent one. Ellis v. Carucci, 123 Nev. 145, 149, 161 P.3d 239, 241 (2007). An abuse of discretion…
Johnson et al v. Parker
Jun 30, 202690848-COA · Nevada (SCOTN/COA)
Affirmed. ("ORDER the judgment of the district court AFFIRMED.")The Court of Appeals reviewed the district court's child custody determinations - including physical custody, relocation, and legal custody - for an abuse of discretion, affirming factual findings supported by…
GARVER VS. GARVER (CHILD CUSTODY)
May 27, 202222-17013 · 82471-COA · Nevada (SCOTN/COA)
"[W]e ORDER the judgment of the district court AFFIRMED."Standard of review. The court applied abuse-of-discretion review to the custody determinations, quoting Ellis v. Carucci, 123 Nev. 145, 149, 161 P.3d 239, 241 (2007): "We have repeatedly recognized the district court's…
WOLFE VS. MANNION (CHILD CUSTODY)
Jul 8, 202691617-COA · Nevada (SCOTN/COA)
Affirmed. ("ORDER the judgment of the district court AFFIRMED.")**Due process.** The court reviewed the due-process claim de novo, citing *Eureka County v. Seventh Jud. Dist. Ct.*, 134 Nev. 275, 279, 417 P.3d 1121, 1124 (2018). Applying *Martinez v. Martinez*, 140 Nev., Adv. Op. 73,…
STEVENS VS. LANEY (CHILD CUSTODY)
Aug 21, 202691371-COA · Nevada (SCOTN/COA)
Affirmed in part and dismissed in part. ("Accordingly, we ORDER the judgment of the district court AFFIRMED IN PART and DISMISS IN PART this appeal.")**Standards of review.** The court identified competing framings of the reunification issue and conducted a two-part inquiry: (1) whether Kayden's Law impacts the custody order, and (2) whether the district court's…
COBIAN VS. RAMIREZ (CHILD CUSTODY)
Oct 18, 202424-39361 · 88076-COA · Nevada (SCOTN/COA)
Affirmed. ("ORDER the judgment of the district court AFFIRMED.")The Court of Appeals reviewed several distinct rulings under differing standards. **Subject matter jurisdiction / registration of the foreign order.** The court reviewed subject matter jurisdiction de novo, giving…
GENNARDO VS. GENNARDO (CHILD CUSTODY)
Nov 22, 202323-38085 · 85370-COA · Nevada (SCOTN/COA)
Affirmed in part, reversed in part, and remanded: the court AFFIRMs the child custody judgment, REVERSEs as to the permanent relocation of the children, and REMANDs for expeditious proceedings.The Court of Appeals reviewed the district court's custody and relocation determinations for abuse of discretion. "Appellate courts 'will not disturb the district court's custody determinations absent a clear abuse of…
ANAYA-ALVARADO VS. ANAYA-ALVARADO (CHILD CUSTODY)
Feb 15, 202323-04724 · 84869-COA · Nevada (SCOTN/COA)
Affirmed. ("ORDER the judgment of the district court AFFIRMED.")The court reviewed the child custody modification under the abuse-of-discretion standard, noting that the district court has "broad discretionary powers to determine child custody matters, and [this court] will not…
CLARKE VS. WHITE (CHILD CUSTODY) C/W 86069
Nov 15, 202424-43449 · 86068-COA · Nevada (SCOTN/COA)
Affirmed. ("ORDER the judgment of the district court AFFIRMED.")**Standard of review.** A decision to grant or deny an NRCP 60(b) motion to set aside a judgment is reviewed for abuse of discretion. Cook v. Cook, 112 Nev. 179, 181-82, 912 P.2d 264, 265 (1996); Rodriguez v. Fiesta…
De Vincenzi v. Reeves
Aug 21, 202690884 · Nevada (SCOTN/COA)
Affirmed. ("ORDER the judgment of the district court AFFIRMED.")Standard of review: The court applied the settled abuse-of-discretion standard for child custody determinations, citing Ellis v. Carucci, 123 Nev. 145, 149, 161 P.3d 239, 241 (2007). "An abuse of discretion occurs when…
HERNANDEZ-BASILIO VS. MARQUEZ-HERNANDEZ (CHILD CUSTODY)
Oct 13, 202323-33548 · 84487-COA · Nevada (SCOTN/COA)
Affirmed. ("ORDER the judgment of the district court AFFIRMED.")The Court of Appeals reviewed each of Edgar's claims under the abuse-of-discretion standard. On physical custody, the court applied Wallace v. Wallace, 112 Nev. 1015, 1019, 922 P.2d 541, 543 (1996), reviewing custody…
PINTO VS. GUARDADO-PINTO (CHILD CUSTODY)
Mar 24, 202323-09143 · 84909-COA · Nevada (SCOTN/COA)
Affirmed. ("ORDER the judgment of the district court AFFIRMED.")This is an unpublished order of affirmance from the Court of Appeals reviewing a divorce decree and a child custody order out of the Eighth Judicial District Court, Family Court Division. **Standard of review…
HARRISON VS. HARRISON (CHILD CUSTODY)
Jul 28, 2016132 Nev. Adv. Op. 56 (2016) · 66157 · Nevada Supreme Court
Affirmed.The court reviewed the district court's denial of modification under an abuse of discretion standard. See Ellis v. Carucci, 123 Nev. 145, 149, 161 P.3d 239, 241 (2007). The opinion situates the analysis at the…
WILLIAMS VS. WILLIAMS (CHILD CUSTODY)
Aug 19, 202222-25929 · 83263-COA · Nevada (SCOTN/COA)
Affirmed in part, vacated in part, and remanded.**Custody (three boys).** The court reviewed the custody determination for a clear abuse of discretion, citing Rico v. Rodriguez, 121 Nev. 695, 701, 120 P.3d 812, 816 (2005). It recognized the rebuttable presumption…
ESTEIN, JR. VS. WARD (CHILD CUSTODY)
Apr 27, 202323-13239 · 84817-COA · Nevada (SCOTN/COA)
"ORDER the judgment of the district court AFFIRMED."The Court of Appeals reviewed the district court's child custody determination for an abuse of discretion. Ellis v. Carucci, 123 Nev. 145, 149, 161 P.3d 239, 241 (2007). Factual findings are affirmed if supported by…
ELMORE VS. HERRIN (CHILD CUSTODY)
Jan 30, 202424-03465 · 86191-COA · Nevada (SCOTN/COA)
Reversed and remanded. ("ORDER the judgment of the district court REVERSED AND REMANDED.")Standard of review: The district court has "broad discretionary power" in determining child custody, Hayes v. Gallacher, 115 Nev. 1, 4, 972 P.2d 1138, 1140 (1999), and a custody determination will not be overturned…
HATCHER VS. HATCHER (CHILD CUSTODY)
Aug 30, 202424-31330 · 88071-COA · Nevada (SCOTN/COA)
Affirmed. ("ORDER the judgment of the district court AFFIRMED.")The Court of Appeals reviewed each of Stephanie's four arguments under the abuse-of-discretion standard applicable to child custody determinations. Under that standard, the court focuses on whether the district court…
FISHER VS. COBIAN (CHILD CUSTODY)
Aug 16, 202323-26762 · 85203-COA · Nevada (SCOTN/COA)
The judgment of the district court is AFFIRMED but REMANDED for the limited purpose of correcting the clerical error.Standard of review: The court of appeals reviews child custody decisions for an abuse of discretion, Ellis v. Carucci, 123 Nev. 145, 161 P.3d 239 (2007), affirming determinations supported by substantial evidence,…
SULLIVAN VS. SULLIVAN (CHILD CUSTODY)
Jun 6, 202424-19892 · 87424-COA · Nevada (SCOTN/COA)
Affirmed ("ORDER the district court orders AFFIRMED.").Standard of review. The court reviews the exclusion of expert testimony for abuse of discretion, citing Hallmark v. Eldridge, 124 Nev. 492, 498, 189 P.3d 646, 650 (2008), and reviews child custody determinations…
JENSEN VS. PETERSON (CHILD CUSTODY)
Nov 12, 202525-49409 · 90580-COA · Nevada (SCOTN/COA)
Affirmed. ("ORDER the judgment of the district court AFFIRMED.")The Court of Appeals reviewed the evidentiary ruling for an abuse of discretion, which will not be disturbed "absent a showing of palpable abuse." M.C. Multi-Fam. Dev., L.L.C. v. Crestdale Assocs., Ltd., 124 Nev. 901,…
IN RE: PARENTAL RIGHTS AS TO R.A.S.
Apr 24, 2025141 Nev. Adv. Op. 20 (2025) · 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…
XAVIER VS. XAVIER (CHILD CUSTODY)
Jan 30, 202424-03506 · 86767-COA · Nevada (SCOTN/COA)
Reversed and remanded.The Court of Appeals reviewed the district court's custody determination for an abuse of discretion. Rivero v. Rivero, 125 Nev. 410, 428, 216 P.3d 213, 226 (2009), overruled in part on other grounds by Romano v. Romano,…
MAURICE VS. MAURICE (CHILD CUSTODY)
Jan 24, 202222-02340 · 83009-COA · Nevada (SCOTN/COA)
Reversed and remanded. ("ORDER the judgment of the district court REVERSED and REMAND this matter to the district court for proceedings consistent with this order.")The Court of Appeals reviewed the child custody decision for an abuse of discretion under Ellis v. Carucci, 123 Nev. 145, 149, 161 P.3d 239, 241 (2007), and reviewed the failure to conduct an evidentiary hearing for an…
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.
