Opinion ID: 2637002
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Abuse

Text: In the 1993 version of NRS 200.5099, the elements of the offense required that the State prove that an individual willfully caused or permitted an older person to suffer unjustifiable physical pain or mental suffering as a result of abuse or that the individual willfully caused or permitted an older person to be placed in a situation where the person may suffer unjustifiable physical pain or mental suffering as a result of abuse. In 1995, the Legislature eliminated the willfully caused or permitted language from the abuse provision of the statute and instead simply stated that any person who abuses an older person, causing the older person to suffer unjustifiable physical pain or mental suffering, is guilty of violating the statute. [7] The definition of abuse, however, did not change. Abuse, as used in any version of NRS 200.5099, is defined in NRS 200.5092: 1. Abuse means willful and unjustified: (a) Infliction of pain, injury or mental anguish on an older person; or (b) Deprivation of food, shelter, clothing or services which are necessary to maintain the physical or mental health of an older person. The term willful is not defined. Vallery asserts that we should interpret that word and the phrase willfully causes or permits in the same way as we have interpreted the phrase willfully caused in the child abuse and neglect statutes. We agree. The language of the criminal child abuse and neglect statute [8] is very similar to the language used in the elderly abuse and neglect statute. In interpreting the child abuse and neglect statute, we have stated that a willful act is one that is done intentionally, not accidentally. [9] Moreover, we conclude that the deletion of the words willfully causes from NRS 200.5099 during the 1995 legislative session does not change the basic definition of abuse. Under NRS 200.5092, abuse involves willful and unjustified infliction or deprivation. The plain language of the statute reflects intentional acts. [10]