2017 Nevada Revised Statutes
Chapter 0 - PRELIMINARY CHAPTER
NRS 0.025 - Use of “may,” “must,” “shall” and “is entitled”; explanation of flush lines.
1. Except as otherwise expressly provided in a particular statute or required by the context:
(a) “May” confers a right, privilege or power. The term “is entitled” confers a private right.
(b) “May not” or “no * * * may” abridges or removes a right, privilege or power.
(c) “Must” expresses a requirement when:
(1) The subject is a thing, whether the verb is active or passive.
(2) The subject is a natural person and:
(I) The verb is in the passive voice; or
(II) Only a condition precedent and not a duty is imposed.
(d) “Shall” imposes a duty to act.
(e) “Shall be deemed” or “shall be considered” creates a legal fiction.
(f) “Shall not” imposes a prohibition against acting.
2. Except as otherwise required by the context, text of a statute that:
(a) Follows subsections, paragraphs, subparagraphs or sub-subparagraphs that are introduced by a colon;
(b) Is not designated as a separate subsection, paragraph, subparagraph or sub-subparagraph; and
(c) Begins flush to the left margin rather than immediately following the material at the end of the final subsection, paragraph, subparagraph or sub-subparagraph,
↪ applies to the section as a whole, in the case of subsections, or to the subdivision preceding the colon as a whole rather than solely to the subdivision that the text follows. The symbol “↪” in bills and in Nevada Revised Statutes indicates the beginning of such text.
(Added to NRS by 1991, 809; A 2003, 2094)
