Clark County Dept. of Family Services v. Eighth Judicial District Court, 141 Nev. Adv. Op. 10 (Mar. 6, 2025)

Court-ordered disclosure of confidential information during a criminal investigation is, in the words of the Nevada Supreme Court, “an important issue that implicates both constitutional concerns and the compelling public interest in encouraging citizens to report suspected child abuse.”By entertaining this petition for writ relief, the Court sought to clarify NRS § 432B.290(4) and outlined the circumstances necessary for a district court to order disclosure of confidential reporter identities. The Court here ultimately denied the petition and specified that “NRS § 432B.290(4) provides a limited privilege for reporter identities[] [t]hat…applies to keep reporter identities confidential if [Department of Family Services] first determines that disclosure of that information would harm an investigation or harm the life or safety of any person.”