Hurst v. Johnson (Child Custody) ( 2016 )


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  •         IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEVADA
    TIFFANI D. HURST,                                       No. 70142
    Petitioner,
    vs.
    THE EIGHTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT
    COURT OF THE STATE OF NEVADA,
    IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF
    CLARK; AND THE HONORABLE
    ED
    WILLIAM S. POTTER, DISTRICT                                 APR 2 0 2016
    JUDGE,
    Respondents,
    and
    ROBERT JOHNSON,
    Real Party in Interest.
    TIFFANI D. HURST,                                      No. 70191
    Appellant,
    vs.
    ROBERT JOHNSON,
    Respondent.
    ORDER DENYING PETITION (DOCKET NO. 70142) AND
    DISMISSING APPEAL (DOCKET NO. 70191)
    This is an original pro se petition for a writ of mandamus or
    prohibition arising from a relocation matter (Docket No. 70142) and a pro
    se notice of appeal apparently informing the court that petitioner has filed
    the petition for a writ (Docket No. 70191).
    As to petitioner's argument in the writ proceeding regarding
    the peremptory challenge, we conclude it was properly rejected as
    untimely because the district court had already commenced hearing a
    contested matter regarding real party in interest's visitation schedule with
    the child.    See SCR 48.1(5) (providing that a notice of peremptory
    challenge may not be filed against a judge who has made any ruling on
    or
    commenced hearing a contested matter); see also State. Dep't Moto
    r
    Vehicles & Pub. Safety v. Eighth Judicial Dist. Court,      
    113 Nev. 1338
    ,
    1342, 
    948 P.2d 261
    , 263 (1997) (explaining that SCR 48.1(5)'s purpose
    is to
    prevent parties from testing the waters and then challenging a judge
    who
    rules unfavorably). As to petitioner's other arguments, we conclude
    that
    petitioner has not demonstrated that our intervention by extraordinar
    y
    writ relief is warranted. See Pan v. Eighth Judicial Dist. Court, 
    120 Nev. 222
    , 228, 
    88 P.3d 840
    , 844 (2004). We note that the matter is scheduled
    for an evidentiary hearing on May 11, 2016. Petitioner may appeal from
    an order finally resolving issues as to visitation, if aggrieved. See 
    id. at 224,
    88 P.3d at 841 (explaining that an appeal is generally an adequ
    ate
    legal remedy precluding writ relief); see also NRAP 3A(b)(7) (allowing an
    appeal from an order finally altering child custody). Accordingly,
    we
    decline to intervene in this matter and we deny the petition in Docket
    No.
    70142. See NRAP 21(b)(1); Smith v. Eighth Judicial Dist. Court, 
    107 Nev. 674
    , 677, 
    818 P.2d 849
    , 851 (stating that a petition for extraordinary
    writ
    relief is purely discretionary with this court)."
    Further, the notice of appeal informing the court of the filing
    of the writ petition fails to identify any appealable order. And it appea
    rs
    from the district court docket entries and minutes that no appealable
    order has been entered. See NRAP 3A. A notice of appeal filed before
    entry of a final written judgment is premature and of no effect.   See NRAP
    4(a)(1); Rust v. Clark Cty. School Dist.,   
    103 Nev. 686
    , 
    747 P.2d 1380
    'Petitioner's emergency motion to stay the district court proceedings
    pending this court's ruling on the writ petition is denied as moot.
    2
    (1987). We conclude that we lack jurisdiction over the appeal in Docket
    No. 70191 and therefore dismiss it.
    It is so ORDERED.
    ,   J.
    Douglas
    cc:   Hon. William S. Potter, District Judge, Family Court Division
    Tiffani D. Hurst
    Standish Naimi Law Group
    Eighth District Court Clerk
    3