Opinion ID: 2635704
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Standards for reviewing facial vagueness challenge

Text: By examining the facial vagueness doctrine through the varied legal precedent, we conclude that there are two approaches to a facial vagueness challenge depending on the type of statute at issue. The first approach arises under a facial challenge to a civil statute and the plaintiff must show that the statute is impermissibly vague in all of its applications. Washington State Grange v. Washington State Republican Party, 552 U.S. ___, ___, 128 S.Ct. 1184, 1190, 170 L.Ed.2d 151 (2008); United States v. Salerno, 481 U.S. 739, 745, 107 S.Ct. 2095, 95 L.Ed.2d 697 (1987); Hoffman Estates v. Flipside, Hoffman Estates, 455 U.S. 489, 497, 102 S.Ct. 1186, 71 L.Ed.2d 362 (1982). In making this showing, [a] complainant who engages in some conduct that is clearly proscribed cannot complain of the vagueness of the law as applied to the conduct of others. Matter of T.R., 119 Nev. at 652, 80 P.3d at 1280 (internal quotation omitted); Hoffman Estates, 455 U.S. at 495, 102 S.Ct. 1186. But, when the statute involves criminal penalties or constitutionally protected rights, the second approach involves a higher standard of whether vagueness permeates the text. [6] City of Las Vegas v. Dist. Ct., 118 Nev. at 862, 59 P.3d at 480; Chicago v. Morales, 527 U.S. 41, 55, 119 S.Ct. 1849, 144 L.Ed.2d 67 (1999) (plurality opinion). Both of these standards are applied through the consideration of the two-factor test for vagueness challenges as stated above, whether the statute: (1) fails to provide notice sufficient to enable persons of ordinary intelligence to understand what conduct is prohibited and (2) lacks specific standards, thereby encouraging, authorizing, or even failing to prevent arbitrary and discriminatory enforcement. Silvar, 122 Nev. at 293, 129 P.3d at 685; Kolender, 461 U.S. at 357, 103 S.Ct. 1855; Hoffman Estates, 455 U.S. at 498, 102 S.Ct. 1186. Thus, when a statute is reviewed under the lower standard of vague in all its applications, if the statute provides sufficient guidance as to at least some conduct that is prohibited and standards for enforcement of that conduct, it will survive a facial challenge because it is not void in all its applications. Hoffman Estates, 455 U.S. at 497, 102 S.Ct. 1186. Under the higher standard, the question becomes whether vagueness so permeates the text that the statute cannot meet these requirements in most applications; and thus, this standard provides for the possibility that some applications of the law would not be void, but the statute would still be invalid if void in most circumstances. See Kolender, 461 U.S. at 358 n. 8, 103 S.Ct. 1855.