NRS38.330. Procedure for mediation or arbitration of claim; payment of costs and fees upon failure to obtain a more favorable award or judgment in court.

      1.  Unless a program has been established and the parties have elected to have the claim referred to a program, the parties shall select a mediator from the list of mediators maintained by the Division pursuant to NRS 38.340. Any mediator selected must be available within the geographic area. If the parties fail to agree upon a mediator, the Division shall appoint a mediator from the list of mediators maintained by the Division. Any mediator appointed must be available within the geographic area. Unless otherwise provided by an agreement of the parties, mediation must be completed within 60 days after the filing of the written claim. Not later than 5 days before mediation is scheduled to be conducted, each party must submit to the mediator a written statement which sets forth the issues in dispute. Mediation must not exceed 3 hours, unless the parties agree to an extension of such time. Any agreement obtained through mediation conducted pursuant to this section must, within 20 days after the conclusion of mediation, be reduced to writing by the mediator and a copy thereof provided to each party. The agreement may be enforced as any other written agreement. Except as otherwise provided in this section, the parties are responsible for the cost of mediation conducted pursuant to this section, which must not exceed $500 for 3 hours of mediation. If the parties agree to extend mediation beyond 3 hours pursuant to this subsection, the fee for the additional hours must not exceed $200 per hour. If the parties participate in mediation and an agreement is not obtained, any party may commence a civil action in the proper court concerning the claim that was submitted to mediation. Any complaint filed in such an action must contain a sworn statement indicating that the issues addressed in the complaint have been mediated pursuant to the provisions of NRS 38.300 to 38.360, inclusive, but an agreement was not obtained.

      2.  Before commencing a civil action in the proper court, the parties named in the claim may agree to arbitration if the parties have participated in mediation in which an agreement was not obtained or if a written decision and award have been issued pursuant to NRS 38.325. Unless the parties agree in writing to binding arbitration, the arbitration is nonbinding. The cost of arbitration conducted pursuant to this section must not exceed $300 per hour. If the parties agree to arbitration, they shall select an arbitrator from the list of arbitrators maintained by the Division pursuant to NRS 38.340. Any arbitrator selected must be available within the geographic area. If the parties fail to agree upon an arbitrator, the Division shall appoint an arbitrator from the list maintained by the Division. Any arbitrator appointed must be available within the geographic area. Upon appointing an arbitrator, the Division shall provide the name of the arbitrator to each party. An arbitrator shall, not later than 5 days after the arbitrator’s selection or appointment pursuant to this subsection, provide to the parties an informational statement relating to the arbitration of a claim pursuant to this section. The written informational statement:

      (a) Must be written in plain English;

      (b) Must explain the procedures and applicable law relating to the arbitration of a claim conducted pursuant to this section, including, without limitation, the procedures, timelines and applicable law relating to confirmation of an award pursuant to NRS 38.239, vacation of an award pursuant to NRS 38.241, judgment on an award pursuant to NRS 38.243, and any applicable statute or court rule governing the award of attorney’s fees or costs to any party; and

      (c) Must be accompanied by a separate form acknowledging that the party has received and read the informational statement, which must be returned to the arbitrator by the party not later than 10 days after receipt of the informational statement.

      3.  The Division may provide for the payment of the fees for a mediator or an arbitrator selected or appointed pursuant to this section from the Account for Common-Interest Communities and Condominium Hotels created by NRS 116.630, to the extent that:

      (a) The Commission for Common-Interest Communities and Condominium Hotels approves the payment; and

      (b) There is money available in the Account for this purpose.

      4.  Except as otherwise provided in this section and except where inconsistent with the provisions of NRS 38.300 to 38.360, inclusive, the arbitration of a claim pursuant to this section must be conducted in accordance with the provisions of NRS 38.231, 38.232, 38.233, 38.236 to 38.239, inclusive, 38.242 and 38.243. At any time during the arbitration of a claim relating to the interpretation, application or enforcement of any covenants, conditions or restrictions applicable to residential property or any bylaws, rules or regulations adopted by an association, the arbitrator may issue an order prohibiting the action upon which the claim is based. An award must be made within 30 days after the conclusion of arbitration, unless a shorter period is agreed upon by the parties to the arbitration.

      5.  If all the parties have agreed to arbitration but have not agreed whether the arbitration will be binding or nonbinding, the arbitration will be nonbinding. If arbitration is nonbinding, any party to the nonbinding arbitration may, within 30 days after a final decision and award which are dispositive of any and all issues of the claim which were submitted to nonbinding arbitration have been served upon the parties, commence a civil action in the proper court concerning the claim which was submitted for arbitration. Any complaint filed in such an action must contain a sworn statement indicating that the issues addressed in the complaint have been arbitrated pursuant to the provisions of NRS 38.300 to 38.360, inclusive. If such an action is not commenced within that period, any party to the arbitration may, within 1 year after the service of the award, apply to the proper court for a confirmation of the award pursuant to NRS 38.239.

      6.  If all the parties agree in writing to binding arbitration, the arbitration must be conducted in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. An award procured pursuant to such binding arbitration may be vacated and a rehearing granted upon application of a party pursuant to the provisions of NRS 38.241.

      7.  If, after the conclusion of binding arbitration, a party:

      (a) Applies to have an award vacated and a rehearing granted pursuant to NRS 38.241; or

      (b) Commences a civil action based upon any claim which was the subject of arbitration,

Ê the party shall, if the party fails to obtain a more favorable award or judgment than that which was obtained in the initial binding arbitration, pay all costs and reasonable attorney’s fees incurred by the opposing party after the application for a rehearing was made or after the complaint in the civil action was filed.

      8.  Upon request by a party, the Division shall provide a statement to the party indicating the amount of the fees for a mediator or an arbitrator selected or appointed pursuant to this section.

      9.  As used in this section, “geographic area” means an area within 150 miles from any residential property or association which is the subject of a written claim submitted pursuant to NRS 38.320.

      (Added to NRS by 1995, 1418; A 1999, 3016; 2001, 1283; 2003, 35, 39, 2251; 2007, 2278; 2009, 2904; 2011, 801; 2013, 2297)