Litchfield v. Tucson Ridge HOA, 140 Nev. Adv. Op. 57 (Sept. 5, 2024)

The Nevada Supreme Court considered the law-of-the-case doctrine, and how a predecessor judge’s decision regarding a legal issue will restrict a successor judge’s ability to rule on an identical issue within one case. In this case, Tucson Ridge Homeowners Association, Prime Community Management, LLC, and Level Property Management, LLC (“TRHOA”) moved for summary judgment asking the successor judge to reconsider a legal issue that was decided by a predecessor judge during a motion to dismiss. The Court disagreed with the successor judge that reconsidered a previously ruled on legal issue, because the law-of-the-case doctrine does not allow a successor judge to reconsider an identical legal issue within one case, unless an exception applies.