On January 22, 2024, the Board of Governors of the State Bar of Nevada filed a petition in ADKT 0616 requesting amendments to Supreme Court Rule (SCR) 49.1(7)(a) to eliminate the two-year cap on attorneys practicing law in rural district attorney and rural state public defender offices pursuant to limited practice certifications issued under SCR 49.1(7)(d), (e).
The proposed amendment would eliminate the two-year cap on attorneys practicing in these offices, mirroring the uncapped timeframe for those providing pro bono legal services under SCR 49.1. This proposal is offered as one solution to the shortage of attorneys practicing in Nevada’s rural counties. The proposed rule, as amended, is set forth in Exhibit A of the petition.
A public hearing on the report will be conducted on February 22, 2024, at 2 p.m. in the Nevada Supreme Court Courtroom in Las Vegas. The hearing will be videoconferenced to the courtroom in Carson City. Written comments regarding the proposed amendments or requests to participate in the hearing are invited and may be submitted electronically or in hard-copy format to: Elizabeth A. Brown, Clerk of the Supreme Court, 201 South Carson Street, Carson City, Nevada 89701 or via email at nvscclerk@nvcourts.nv.gov by 5 p.m., February 15, 2024.