NRS7.055. Duty of discharged attorney to deliver certain materials to client; enforcement; adjudication of claims to materials.

      1.  An attorney who has been discharged by his or her client shall, upon demand and payment of the fee due from the client, immediately deliver to the client all papers, documents, pleadings and items of tangible personal property which belong to or were prepared for that client.

      2.  A client who, after demand therefor and payment of the fee due from the client, does not receive from his or her discharged attorney all papers, documents, pleadings and items of tangible personal property may, by a motion filed after at least 5 days’ notice to the attorney, obtain an order for the production of his or her papers, documents, pleadings and other property. If the court finds that an attorney has, without just cause, refused or neglected to obey its order given under this section, the court may, after notice and hearing, adjudge the attorney guilty of contempt and may fine or imprison him or her until the contempt is purged. If the court finds that the attorney has, without just cause, withheld the client’s papers, documents, pleadings or other property, the attorney is liable for costs and attorney’s fees.

      3.  An attorney who is in doubt as to the ownership of papers, documents, pleadings or other property may deposit the materials with the clerk of the court. The clerk shall immediately seal the materials to protect the privacy and privilege of the clients and interested persons and notify each interested person of the deposit. Upon a petition filed by a client or other interested person, any court shall, after giving at least 5 days’ notice to all other interested persons, adjudicate the rights of persons claiming an interest in the materials and make necessary orders under the circumstances of the case.

      (Added to NRS by 1977, 776)