Opinion ID: 1217413
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Homeowners' motion for expert witness fees in excess of $750 pursuant to NRS 18.005(5).

Text: NRS 18.005 provides in relevant part: 18.005 Costs defined. For the purposes of NRS 18.010 to 18.150, inclusive, the term costs means: ..... 5. Reasonable fees of not more than five expert witnesses in an amount of not more than $750 for each witness, unless the court allows a larger fee after determining, pursuant to a hearing, that the circumstances surrounding the expert's testimony were of such necessity as to require the larger fee. At the conclusion of the jury trial, Homeowners requested that the district court approve fees in excess of $750 for four expert witnesses. [3] The district court refused Homeowners' request without stating its reasons for so doing. Homeowners maintain that it was an abuse of discretion for the trial court to decide the issue without stating its reasons in the decision. In the absence of express findings of fact and conclusions of law by the trial court, this court must rely on an examination of the record to see if the trial court's decision constitutes an abuse of discretion. See Pagni v. City of Sparks, 72 Nev. 41, 44, 293 P.2d 421 (1956). The trial transcript was not part of the record on appeal; therefore, we cannot evaluate the necessity of the experts' testimony. Traditionally, when evidence on which the lower court's judgment rests is not included in the record on appeal, it is assumed that the record supports the district court's findings. Bates v. Chronister, 100 Nev. 675, 679, 691 P.2d 865 (1984). See also Stover v. Las Vegas Int'l Country Club, 95 Nev. 66, 68, 589 P.2d 671 (1979). Therefore, we must presume the district court's denial of excess expert witness fees pursuant to NRS 18.005(5) was correct.