Short Trial Program

Implemented in June, 2002, a court-administered Short Trial Program (“STP”) has been in place to resolve disputes through means other than traditional trials.  The program provides an alternative to civil actions that would otherwise enter the Court Annexed Arbitration Program, that is, cases that have a probable jury award value not in excess of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) per plaintiff.

The STP is designed to allow cases to be tried on a fast track (in eight months or less). The STP reduces the expense to taxpayers and utilizes courtrooms that may not already be in use. At the same time, the STP allows parties their “day in court” by providing a full and fair trial before a judge and/or jury. Cases not resolved through the Court Annexed Arbitration Program or Court Annexed Mediation Program automatically enter the STP, subject to a litigant’s timely right to file a demand to remove the case from the STP and return it to the District Court trial docket.  Parties may agree to bypass the mandatory Court Annexed Arbitration Program or voluntary Court Annexed Mediation Program altogether and enter the STP directly.  Parties have a right to file a direct appeal of the final judgment rendered in the STP to the Nevada Supreme Court.

Cases tried in the STP differ in that each side is allowed only three (3) hours to present their case, including opening and closing statements, presentation of evidence, and examination and cross-examination of witnesses.  The trial is presided over by a judge pro tempore selected from a qualified court panel list; the judge pro tempore carefully monitors the time allotted each side.

Short jury trials are heard by a panel of four, six or eight jurors; a decision of three-fourths is necessary to render a verdict.  A judgment arising out of the STP may not exceed $50,000 per plaintiff (excluding attorney’s fees and interest), unless otherwise agreed to by the parties.

The STP is overseen by the Alternative Dispute Resolution (“ADR”) Office, which also administers the Court Annexed Arbitration Program and Court Annexed Mediation Program, as well as the Foreclosure Mediation Program.  The ADR Commissioner and staff are always available to assist with any problem and answer any questions regarding arbitration, mediation and the STP.  Please call (702) 671-4493.  The Nevada Short Trial Rules and Short Trial Forms are available to download at no cost on this web site.

Short Trial Forms Library

Welcome to the Short Trial Forms Library. We hope the information shown here is helpful and will make your contact with court easier and more productive. Many of our forms are multiple pages – make sure you fill out all pages and print all of them prior to submitting them to the court.

To download all the Short Trial Rules, forms, and the index at once, click the ZIP file link below. This is a large file and may require considerable download time. Please be patient. You will have to extract and save the files to your computer.

Individual Forms

The following forms are intended to be used as samples only. You can print them or save the Microsoft Word documents and use them as a template for your own individual documents. To download form samples, click on the appropriate document title.  All documents in the Short Trial Program are to be e-filed with the Clerk’s Office.

Form # Title/Name of Document Nevada Short Trial Rule #
1 Stipulation to Participate in Short Trial Program [4(b) & 32]
2 Stipulation for Pro Tempore Judge [3(a)(1) & 3(a)(3)]
3 Judicial Panel Strike List [3(a)(2)]
4 Selection of Pro Tempore Judge [3(a)]
5 Notice of Recusal [3(1)(1)]
6 Demand for Removal from the Short Trial Program [5]
7 Order for Final Judgement Affirming Short Trial Pro Tempore Judge’s Order on Motion [5]
8 Joint Trial Memorandum [9]
9 Short Trial Setting [12]
10 Jury List [23]
11 Verdict Form-Short Jury Trial [26]
12 Notice to Prevailing Party to File Judgment Upon Jury Verdict/Decision of the Court – Short Trial Program [26]
13 Judgment on Jury Verdict – Short Trial Program [26]
14 Judge on Decision by the Court – Short Trial Program [26]
15 Application for Attorney’s Fees, Presiding Judge’s Fees, Costs and/or Interest [27]
16 Opposition to Application for Attorney’s Fees, Presiding Judge’s Fees, Costs and/or Interest [27]
17 Presiding Short Trial Judge’s Bill for Costs [29(b)]
18 Objection to Presiding Short Trial Judge’s Bill for Costs [29(c)]
19 Motion to Enter Judgment for Presiding Short Trial Judge’s Fees and Costs [30]
20 Order for Judgment on Presiding Short Trial Judge’s Fees and Costs [30]