What are Nevada Small Claims Cases and Class Action Lawsuits?

Small claims in Nevada are strictly money recovery suits that do not exceed $10000. According to the Nevada Revised Statutes 73.010, the Justice Courts have jurisdiction over small claims cases in the state. This section of the law also provides the legal framework for interpretation and proceedings for small claims suits in the state. Small claims cases are generally simpler in terms of the adjudication process and fairly easy to walk through by a non-legal professional.

A Class Action Suit is a case type where the court adjudicates multiple suits in one legal proceeding. The basis for this is that the suits brought to the court share the same complaint in terms of the defendant party and the basis for the claim. NRS 41.037 gives legal backing to the rules of court about this type of suit. They are major civil disputes, also under the jurisdiction of Justice Courts.

What is a Class Action Lawsuit in Nevada?

By state laws, a group of persons with the same complaint can jointly file for damages under the class action lawsuit procedure. Usually, the class members are too many to adjudicate individually. It could also mean inconsistencies in judgment by the authority. Having met the number requirement, the class must also meet the criterion of sharing a common ground as per legal questions or defenses on the case. Class members must also have class representation, that is, a subset of the group who have similar complaints, and are committed to protecting the overall interests of the group. Class action suits come in as a handy option in cases of product defects, environmental hazards or financial loss owing to wrongs by an agency, to mention but a few. It is noteworthy that some not-for-profit rights groups or advocacy bodies can initiate class action on behalf of injured persons, having received notices of complaints from them. Most times, the defendant party opts for settlement, thus shortening the process.

How do I File a Claim in a Nevada Small Claims Court?

Anyone wishing to sue in a small claims court in Nevada must keep in mind that all money judgements will not exceed $10,000 in value. Besides, the plaintiff must meet the age requirement of 18 years. The prospective defendant must live or work in the same county as the court where the plaintiff will file the case.

Before initiating legal action, filing parties must send a demand letter to the offending party. Use the certified mail and return receipt option (the green postcard). The letter must clearly indicate instructions to pay the due amount within ten days of delivery, failure of which the plaintiff will initiate legal action. If the ten-day ultimatum expires without compliance, file a complaint with the relevant Justice Court. Contact the Court Clerk’s office for information on how to go about it. Be sure to fill all forms and prepare statements in line with the court clerk’s directive. Submit along the documents, a copy of the demand letter and proof of delivery. Also show in the complaint that the offending party has failed to comply or respond to the demand letter. This step is crucial to avoid a counter claim of response that can lead to a dismissal of the case. Be sure to the correct names and addresses of the defendant. If it is a corporate agency, be sure to identify who accepts legal service on their behalf. The reason is that the process server must hand them in person, not by mail. Information about this is available in business license directories on the internet. Next is to pay the filing fee. Each Justice Court runs a unique fee schedule. Confirm this with the court clerk. If the plaintiff cannot pay, complete the fee waiver form (Application to Proceed In Forma Pauperis).. Submit to the clerk and expect feedback. The judge may or may not grant the request.

Do I Need a Small Claims Lawyer?

The litigant may or may not use a Small claims lawyer for representation. If the defendant is a corporate organization, they are likely to use an attorney. Lawyers have more experience and skill than self-litigants, and it may not be to the advantage of the latter to self-represent. In any case, consulting with a legal expert before going to court is a crucial step.

How do Class Action Lawsuits Work in Nevada?

Class actions leverage on numbers to file and push cases in the state. They work excellently in cases of employment compensation matters, product liabilities, erroneous extortion of service fees in agencies, etc.

When a class files a lawsuit, the judge hears the case before giving approval to the class action. After certification, an individual can join the class by filing a claim through the class action notice. Any of the parties can show their interest to be part of the class representatives. It is a small group of litigants that serve as the ‘face’ of the plaintiffs in all court proceedings. Parties may also wish to opt out when they wish and file a separate suit. Opting out excludes the party from whatever compensations that may arise from the class action. Class action necessarily uses the services of a representing attorney.

Is a Class Action Better Than a Single Party Suit?

Yes, in many ways. Class action suits have more legal weight than individual claims for damages. For members that are non-class representatives, the burden of constant court visits is eliminated, unless called to testify. Additionally, the court and attorney costs shared or even sponsored sometimes. A major demerit is that the cases take longer to settle in court, and the administrative pathway to awarding compensations may be lengthy owing to the many people that must be compensated.

Records that are considered public may be accessible from some third-party websites. These websites often make searching more straightforward, as they are not limited by geographic location, and search engines on these sites may help when starting a search for a specific or multiple records. To begin using such a search engine on a third-party or government website, interested parties usually must provide:

• The name of the person involved in the record, unless said person is a juvenile
• The location or assumed location of the document or person involved

Third-party sites are independent of government sources and are not sponsored by these government agencies. Because of this, record availability on third-party websites may vary.

What Cases are Heard by Small Claims Courts in Nevada?

Justice Courts in Nevada hear a wide variety of small claims. Among them are:

• Landlord /tenant conflicts
• Refund of deposits
• Employment compensatory claims
• All small claims are strictly monetary in nature, and excludes property equivalents:
• Insurance claims
• Transaction failure refunds