Month: October 2017

Nevada Appellate Courts Advance Opinions for October 26, 2017

Posted on by Jeff Jaeger

Nevada Appellate Courts Advance Opinions for October 26, 2017

SZYMBORSKI VS. SPRING MTN. TREATMENT CTR.

  • How should a court determine whether a claim is for medical malpractice or ordinary negligence when dismissing a claim for failing to attach a medical expert affidavit pursuant to NRS 41A.071.

CLARK CNTY. SCHOOL DIST. VS. PAYO

  • Does the implied assumption of risk doctrine bar a student’s negligence action arising from injuries the student sustained while participating in a required activity during a physical education class.
  • How does discretionary-function immunity apply to the Clark County School District’s decision to add a floor hockey unit to the P.E. curriculum.

Visit the Nevada Appellate Report for more legal news.

Can a defendant be prosecuted twice for the same offense if he or she fails to comply with the terms of a plea agreement?

Posted on by Jeff Jaeger

Plea Agreement

Sweat (Lonnie) vs. Dist. Ct. (State) (Nev. Supreme Ct. – Oct. 5, 2017)

The Double Jeopardy Clause protects a defendant from multiple prosecutions for the same offense. This opinion addresses whether a defendant’s failure to comply with the terms of a plea agreement with the State constitutes a waiver of that protection.

On May 9, 2016, the State charged Sweat by way of criminal complaint with battery constituting domestic violence, a category C felony. In Nevada, battery constituting domestic violence is a felony if the defendant has two or more prior convictions for domestic violence within seven years. Because Sweat had priors in 2010 and 2011, the State opted to proceed as a felony. Pursuant to negotiations with the State of Nevada, Sweat agreed to plead guilty in justice court to one count of battery constituting domestic violence, a misdemeanor, and in district court to one count of battery constituting substantial bodily harm, a felony. In exchange for his pleas, the State agreed to drop the charge of battery constituting domestic violence as a felony. Per the agreement, Sweat pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor battery constituting domestic violence and was immediately sentenced to time served. Sweat also waived his right to a preliminary hearing and was bound over to district court for entry of plea on the felony count of battery causing substantial bodily harm.

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Can a parent be compelled to admit to a crime to maintain their parental rights?

Posted on by Jeff Jaeger

Parental Rights 5th Amendment

In Re: Parental Rights as to A.D.L. and C.L.B., Jr. (Nev. Supreme Ct. – Oct. 5, 2017)

In this opinion, the Supreme Court of Nevada considered whether a parent’s Fifth Amendment rights are violated when he or she is required to admit to a criminal act in order to maintain his or her parental rights.

In April 2010, Clark County Department of Family Services (DFS) received an anonymous call through its child abuse hotline alleging that Keaundra’s children were being abused and neglected. The caller alleged that the face of Keaundra’s infant child had been burned. During an interview with a DFS investigator, Keaundra stated that she was the only adult at home when C.L.B., Jr. was burned. Her two children, A.D.L. and C.L.B., Jr., were in the master bedroom while she was preparing for work in the attached bathroom. She had recently ironed her clothes and had placed the iron on her dresser. Keaundra heard the iron fall and when she came out to investigate, A.D.L. told her that C.L.B., Jr. had tried to kiss the iron. Keaundra then called her mother, a nurse, who told her to put ointment on the injury and to take C.L.B., Jr. to the emergency room if the burn blistered.

Following the initial contact with DFS, Keaundra moved her family to Louisiana, where her father was stationed with the U.S. Air Force. Upon learning that Keaundra moved to Louisiana, DFS sought help from U.S. Air Force authorities to gain protective custody of the children. The children were removed from Keaundra’s care, and C.L.B., Jr. was taken to see Dr. Neuman, a physician in Louisiana. Dr. Neuman reported that the injury was well healed and that there was no evidence of abuse.

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When is a hotel liable for the wrongful acts of a third party?

Posted on by Jeff Jaeger

Hotel innkeep liability

Humphries vs. New York-New York Hotel & Casino, LLC (Nev. Supreme Ct. – Oct. 5, 2017)

This case deals with a patron that seeks to hold a casino civilly liable for injuries they suffered during an altercation with another patron on the casino floor. NRS 651.015 precludes such liability unless the wrongful act that caused the injuries was foreseeable. The statute further provides that a wrongful act is not foreseeable unless the owner or innkeeper failed to exercise due care for the safety of the patron or other person on the premises or had notice or knowledge of prior incidents of similar wrongful acts on the premises. In this case, the district court granted summary judgment in favor of the casino, finding that the casino did not owe a duty to the patrons pursuant to NRS 651.015 because the casino had no “notice or knowledge” the other patron would assault the patrons.

Humphries and Rocha were walking through New York-New York Hotel & Casino’s (NYNY) casino floor at 3:50 a.m. Humphries exchanged pleasantries with a woman who was accompanying another casino patron, Ferrell. Ferrell began conversing with Humphries and allegedly made a vulgar comment to her. Humphries responded and made a spitting motion towards Ferrell and then turned to walk away. Ferrell attacked Humphries, hitting and kicking her multiple times, and allegedly throwing her into a slot machine. Rocha, who was playing a slot machine when the attack began, attempted to intervene and was also hit by Ferrell.

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Nevada Appellate Courts Advance Opinions for October 5, 2017

Posted on by Jeff Jaeger

Nevada Appellate Courts Advance Opinions for October 5, 2017

MENDENHALL VS. TASSINARI

  • Are claims that are brought by the offering party in a second action, and arise out of facts that were discovered after serving the NRCP 68 offer, barred by general principles of claim preclusion or by the very terms of the NRCP 68 offer.

HUMPHRIES VS. NEW YORK-NEW YORK HOTEL & CASINO, LLC

  • When does an innkeeper owe a duty of care for on premises injuries caused by third parties because the wrongful act of a third party was foreseeable.

SWEAT (LONNIE) VS. DIST. CT. (STATE)

  • Does a defendant who pleads guilty to a lesser charge pursuant to a plea agreement and fails to comply with the terms of that agreement, waive his or her right to be protected from prosecution on a greater charge.

WILLIAMS (JESSICA) VS. STATE, DEP’T OF CORR.

  • Do credits earned pursuant to NRS 209.4465 apply to eligibility for parole as provided in NRS 209.4465(7)(b) where the offender was sentenced pursuant to a statute that requires a minimum term of not less than a set number of years, but does not mention parole eligibility.

FREDIANELLI VS. MARTINEZ

  • Can an attorney actively enforce a retaining lien.
  • Is an affirmative recovery necessary in the retaining lien context.
  • Can a retaining lien be reduced to a monetary judgment.

JOHNSON (DONTE) VS. STATE (DEATH PENALTY-PC)

  • Must a defendant file a postconviction petition within one year after remittitur issued on direct appeal from his original judgment of conviction where the direct appeal resulted in reversal and remand for another penalty hearing such that his sentences were unsettled.

IN RE: PARENTAL RIGHTS AS TO A.D.L. AND C.L.B., JR.

  • Are a parent’s Fifth Amendment rights violated when he or she is required to admit to a criminal act in order to maintain his or her parental rights.

Visit the Nevada Appellate Report for more legal news.