Opinion ID: 2368930
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 11

Heading: NRS 4.010(2)(a) is ambiguous

Text: The majority's conclusion that NRS 4.010(2)(a)'s language is clear and unambiguous confounds me. Nothing in the statute sets forth any manner for determining when an attorney has complied with the five-year requirement. As a result, the majority develops its own way for making this determination. The majority's interpretation of the statute's language is reasonable, but Candelaria offers an equally reasonable interpretation of the statute. As Candelaria points out, the record demonstrates that the State Bar has assessed her membership fees at the rate applicable to [a]ctive members admitted to practice in any jurisdiction 5 years or more. SCR 98(9). Because the State Bar is an arm of this court, it can reasonably be said that, in the eyes of this court, which is vested with the inherent power to define the practice of the law in this state, In re Lerner, 124 Nev. 1232, 1237, 197 P.3d 1067, 1071 (2008), Candelaria has been deemed a fifth-year attorney under language that is fundamentally identical to that used in NRS 4.010(2)(a). [1] In light of these competing reasonable interpretations of NRS 4.010(2)(a), the statute simply cannot be classified as unambiguous. I find it interesting that this court has not hesitated to find ambiguity in statutes and constitutional provisions establishing other time periods, see Nevada Mining Ass'n v. Erdoes, 117 Nev. 531, 26 P.3d 753 (2001) (interpreting the phrase not later than midnight Pacific standard time to permit the Legislature to act until 1 a.m.); SNEA v. Lau, 110 Nev. 715, 718, 877 P.2d 531, 534 (1994) (determining that the term years, as used in Article 5, Section 3 of the Nevada Constitution was ambiguous), and I struggle to see the justification for failing to reach a similar result in this case. This court's precedent mandates that we interpret any ambiguity in favor of a challenged candidate's eligibility to run for public office. SNEA, 110 Nev. at 720, 877 P.2d at 535. And we have held that a litigant seeking to challenge a candidate's eligibility for the ballot should prevail only if the [provision providing the candidate restriction] cannot possibly refer to anything other than a single reasonable interpretation. Id. Thus, because I conclude that NRS 4.010(2)(a) is ambiguous, the statute must be interpreted in favor of permitting Candelaria to appear on the ballot and allowing the voters to make the final decision on this matter. Id.