Nevada Revised Statutes 604C.350 – Written consumer litigation funding contract required; contents
1. A consumer litigation funding contract must:
Terms Used In Nevada Revised Statutes 604C.350
- Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
- Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
- Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
- Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
- person: means a natural person, any form of business or social organization and any other nongovernmental legal entity including, but not limited to, a corporation, partnership, association, trust or unincorporated organization. See Nevada Revised Statutes 0.039
- Settlement: Parties to a lawsuit resolve their difference without having a trial. Settlements often involve the payment of compensation by one party in satisfaction of the other party's claims.
- Trust account: A general term that covers all types of accounts in a trust department, such as estates, guardianships, and agencies. Source: OCC
(a) Be written in a clear and comprehensible language that is understandable to an ordinary layperson.
(b) Be filled out completely when presented to the consumer for signature.
(c) Contain a provision advising a consumer of the right to cancel the contract. Such a provision must provide that the consumer may cancel the contract without penalty or further obligation if, within 5 business days after the funding date, the consumer:
(1) Delivers in person to the consumer litigation funding company, at the address specified in the contract, the uncashed check issued by the consumer litigation funding company or the full amount of money that was disbursed to the consumer by the consumer litigation funding company; or
(2) Mails, by insured, certified or registered mail, to the address specified in the contract, a notice of cancellation and includes in such mailing the uncashed check issued by the consumer litigation funding company or a return of the full amount of money that was disbursed to the consumer by the consumer litigation funding company.
(d) Contain the initials of the consumer on each page.
(e) Contain a statement that the consumer is not required to pay any other fees or charges other than what is agreed to and disclosed within the contract.
(f) If the consumer seeks more than one consumer litigation funding contract with the same company, contain a disclosure providing the cumulative amount due from the consumer for all consumer litigation funding transactions, including, without limitation, all fees and charges under all consumer litigation funding contracts if repayment is made any time after the contracts are executed.
(g) Contain a statement of the maximum amount the consumer may be obligated to pay under the consumer litigation funding contract other than in the case of material breach, fraud or misrepresentation by the consumer.
(h) Contain clear, conspicuous and accurate details of how charges, including, without limitation, any applicable fees, are incurred or accrued.
(i) Contain a statement that the consumer litigation funding contract is governed by the laws of the State of Nevada.
2. A consumer litigation contract must contain a written acknowledgment by the attorney retained by the consumer in the legal claim of the consumer attesting to the following:
(a) To the best of the knowledge of the attorney, the funded amount and any charges and applicable fees relating to the consumer litigation funding have been disclosed to the consumer.
(b) The attorney is being paid on a contingency basis pursuant to a written fee agreement.
(c) All proceeds of the legal claim will be disbursed via the trust account of the attorney or a settlement fund established to receive the proceeds of the legal claim on behalf of the consumer.
(d) The attorney is following the written irrevocable instructions of the consumer with regard to the consumer litigation funding transaction.
(e) The attorney is obligated to disburse money from the legal claim and take any other steps to ensure that the terms of the consumer litigation funding contract are fulfilled.
(f) The attorney has not received a referral fee or other consideration from the consumer litigation funding company in connection with the consumer litigation funding, nor will the attorney receive such fee or other consideration in the future.
(g) The attorney has not provided advice related to taxes, benefits or any other financial matter regarding this transaction.
3. A consumer litigation funding contract that does not contain the written acknowledgment required by subsection 2 is void. If the acknowledgment is completed, the contract shall remain valid if the consumer terminates the representation of the initial attorney or retains a new attorney with respect to the legal claim of the consumer.