1.  A court may award primary physical custody to a parent if the court determines that joint physical custody is not in the best interest of a child. An award of joint physical custody is presumed not to be in the best interest of the child if:

Terms Used In Nevada Revised Statutes 125C.003

  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • person: means a natural person, any form of business or social organization and any other nongovernmental legal entity including, but not limited to, a corporation, partnership, association, trust or unincorporated organization. See Nevada Revised Statutes 0.039

(a) The court determines by substantial evidence that a parent is unable to adequately care for a minor child for at least 146 days of the year;

(b) A child is born out of wedlock and the provisions of subsection 2 are applicable; or

(c) Except as otherwise provided in subsection 6 of NRS 125C.0035 or NRS 125C.210, there has been a determination by the court after an evidentiary hearing and finding by clear and convincing evidence that a parent has engaged in one or more acts of domestic violence against the child, a parent of the child or any other person residing with the child. The presumption created by this paragraph is a rebuttable presumption.

2.  A court may award primary physical custody of a child born out of wedlock to:

(a) The mother of the child if:

(1) The mother has not married the father of the child;

(2) A judgment or order of a court, or a judgment or order entered pursuant to an expedited process, determining the paternity of the child has not been entered; and

(3) The father of the child:

(I) Is not subject to any presumption of paternity under NRS 126.051;

(II) Has never acknowledged paternity pursuant to NRS 126.053; or

(III) Has had actual knowledge of his paternity but has abandoned the child.

(b) The father of the child if:

(1) The mother has abandoned the child; and

(2) The father has provided sole care and custody of the child in her absence.

3.  As used in this section:

(a) ’Abandoned’ means that a mother or father has:

(1) Failed, for a continuous period of not less than 6 months, to provide substantial personal and economic support to the child; or

(2) Knowingly declined, for a continuous period of not less than 6 months, to have any meaningful relationship with the child.

(b) ’Expedited process’ has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 126.161.

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