Nevada Custody
Joint by default — and precise by statute.
Nevada starts from joint legal and physical custody, prefers to keep it, and decides contested calls on twelve findings-backed factors — with one hard presumption for domestic violence and an arithmetic threshold under the joint preference. The drafting rules are law, not style.
The Nevada baseline
- • Joint legal and physical custody is the DEFAULT until ordered otherwise (NRS 125C.0015), with a statutory preference for joint physical custody on agreement or demonstrated intent (NRS 125C.0025).
- • Primary physical custody needs a reason the statute names — including the 146-day threshold below (NRS 125C.003).
NRS 125C.0015 · 125C.0025 · 125C.003
The twelve best-interest factors (findings required)
NRS 125C.0035
The domestic-violence presumption
clear and convincing evidence, after an evidentiary hearing
A finding by clear and convincing evidence that a parent (or anyone seeking custody) engaged in domestic violence against the child, a parent or a cohabitant raises a REBUTTABLE PRESUMPTION that sole or joint physical custody by the perpetrator is not in the child's best interest.
NRS 125C.0035
The 146-day threshold
Joint physical custody is presumed NOT in the child's best interest where a parent is unable to adequately care for the child at least 146 days a year — the arithmetic gate under the joint preference.
NRS 125C.003
The drafting guardrails — statutory, not stylistic
Hard rule
Custody rights draft in ABSOLUTE terms
An order limiting custody must define the rights "in absolute terms" — "reasonable visitation" and its cousins are the vagueness the statute forbids; write days, times, exchanges.
NRS 125C.0045
Hard rule
The abduction notice, IN CAPITAL LETTERS
Every custody order carries the statutory notice that abduction, concealment or detention in violation of the order is punishable as a category D felony (routing NRS 200.359) — in capitals, verbatim, not paraphrased.
NRS 125C.0045
Baseline
Start from the joint default
Until a court orders otherwise, parents hold joint legal and physical custody (NRS 125C.0015) — drafts that assume sole custody without an order or agreement misstate the baseline.
NRS 125C.0015
Authority locked — retrieved from the hash-pinned corpus
Factors, presumption, threshold and drafting rules come from the stored NRS 125C text — organizers and guardrails, never predictions; the court weighs the factors and makes the findings.