Nevada § 260.040 - Compensation; deputies and employees; private practice of law limited; expenses; deputies in certain counties governed by merit personnel system

§ 260.040. Compensation; deputies and employees; private practice of law limited; expenses; deputies in certain counties governed by merit personnel system

1. The compensation of the public defender must be fixed by the board of county commissioners

and, in counties whose population is less than 100,000, must comply with the regulations

adopted by the Board on Indigent Defense Services pursuant to NRS 180.320 . The public defender of any two or more counties must be compensated and be permitted

private civil practice of the law as determined by the boards of county commissioners

of those counties, subject to the provisions of subsection 4 and NRS 7.065 . 2. The public defender may appoint as many deputies or assistant attorneys, clerks,

investigators, stenographers and other employees as the public defender considers

necessary to enable him or her to carry out his or her responsibilities, with the

approval of the board of county commissioners. An assistant attorney must be a qualified attorney licensed to practice in this

State and may be placed on a part-time or full-time basis. The appointment of a deputy, assistant attorney or other employee pursuant to this

subsection must not be construed to confer upon that deputy, assistant attorney or

other employee policymaking authority for the office of the public defender or the

county or counties by which the deputy, assistant attorney or other employee is employed. 3. The compensation of persons appointed under subsection 2 must be fixed by the board

of county commissioners of the county or counties so served. 4. The public defender and his or her deputies and assistant attorneys in a county

whose population is less than 100,000 may engage in the private practice of law. Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, in any other county, the public

defender and his or her deputies and assistant attorneys shall not engage in the private

practice of law except as otherwise provided in NRS 7.065 . An attorney appointed to defend a person for a limited duration with limited jurisdiction

may engage in private practice which does not present a conflict with his or her appointment. 5. The board of county commissioners shall provide office space, furniture, equipment

and supplies for the use of the public defender suitable for the conduct of the business

of his or her office. However, the board of county commissioners may provide for an allowance in place

of facilities. Each of those items is a charge against the county in which public defender services

are rendered. If the public defender serves more than one county, expenses that are properly allocable

to the business of more than one of those counties must be prorated among the counties

concerned. 6. In a county whose population is 700,000 or more, deputies are governed by the merit

personnel system of the county, and their compensation is not subject to the regulations

adopted by the Board on Indigent Defense Services pursuant to NRS 180.320 .