City of Reno v. District Court (Conrad) - Civil Opinion

The Nevada Supreme Court, in the case of City of Reno v. District Court (Conrad), held that district courts must explicitly address why regular inter partes procedure is inadequate before issuing an ex parte writ of mandamus. The Court found that the district court abused its discretion by issuing an ex parte writ compelling the City of Reno to produce police records without considering the necessity of such a procedure or providing evidence that the standard Nevada Public Records Act (NPRA) process was insufficient. The Court granted the City's petition for a writ of mandamus, vacating the district court's ex parte order.

This decision has significant implications for how public records requests are handled in Nevada. Government agencies and legal professionals involved in public records disputes should be aware that ex parte writs of mandamus will now require a stronger justification. Regulated entities, particularly government agencies, should ensure that any challenges to public records requests follow established inter partes procedures unless a compelling case for ex parte relief can be made and documented. Failure to adhere to this standard may result in the vacating of such writs, as demonstrated in this case.