Nevada’s civil stalking statute (NRS 200.591) provides a separate legal remedy for victims of stalking, harassment, and cyberstalking that operates independently of domestic violence protective orders under NRS Chapter 33. While domestic violence protective orders under NRS 33.018 require a qualifying domestic relationship between the victim and perpetrator (current or former spouse, relative, person with a child in common, or household member), civil stalking protective orders under NRS 200.591 are available regardless of the relationship between the victim and the stalker — they protect victims from stalking by ex-partners who don’t meet the domestic relationship definition, by acquaintances, by workplace harassers, and by strangers. Hauser Family Law assists Las Vegas clients in obtaining civil stalking protective orders and integrating stalking protection into family law proceedings when appropriate.
What Constitutes Stalking Under Nevada Law and How to Obtain a Civil Protective Order
Nevada defines stalking under NRS 200.575 as conduct where a person, without lawful authority, willfully or maliciously engages in a course of conduct that would cause a reasonable person to feel terrorized, frightened, intimidated, harassed, or fearful for the immediate safety of a family or household member, and actually causes the victim to feel that way. A course of conduct requires two or more acts over a period of time — a single incident may not meet the threshold, though aggravated stalking (NRS 200.575(2)) and cyberstalking (NRS 200.575(1)(b)) involving credible threats can be established with fewer incidents. Cyberstalking — which includes harassment through electronic means such as text messages, emails, social media monitoring, location tracking, and online harassment — is specifically addressed in Nevada’s stalking statute, reflecting the reality that digital harassment has become the most common form of stalking in post-separation situations. To obtain a civil protective order under NRS 200.591, the victim files an application with the district court explaining the course of conduct and the specific incidents that establish stalking. The court may grant a temporary protective order on an ex parte basis without notice to the stalker if immediate harm is threatened. A hearing is then scheduled within 45 days where the stalker can contest the order, and if the court finds that stalking occurred or is threatened, a permanent protective order may be granted for a period of up to three years, renewable upon petition. Violations of a civil stalking protective order are criminal — a first violation is a gross misdemeanor under NRS 200.591(3), and subsequent violations or violations involving physical violence are category C felonies. In family law contexts, evidence of stalking by a former spouse or partner can support a request for domestic violence protective orders and affects custody analysis under NRS 125C.0035’s best-interest factors. Hauser Family Law helps Las Vegas stalking victims pursue all available legal protections, including both civil stalking orders and domestic violence orders when the relationships overlap.