1. Except as otherwise provided in this section and NRS 357.100, a private plaintiff may bring an action pursuant to this chapter for a violation of NRS 357.040 on his or her own account and that of the State or a political subdivision, or both the State and a political subdivision. The action must be brought in the name of the State or the political subdivision, or both. After such an action is commenced, it may be dismissed only with written consent of the court and the Attorney General. The court and the Attorney General shall take into account the public purposes of this chapter and the best interests of the parties in dismissing the action or consenting to the dismissal, as applicable, and provide the reasons for dismissing the action or consenting to the dismissal, as applicable.

2. If a private plaintiff brings an action pursuant to this chapter, no person other than the Attorney General or the Attorney General’s designee may intervene or bring a related action pursuant to this chapter based on the facts underlying the first action.

3. An action may not be maintained by a private plaintiff pursuant to this chapter:

(a) Against a member of the Legislature or the Judiciary, an elected officer of the Executive Department of the State Government, or a member of the governing body of a political subdivision, if the action is based upon evidence or information known to the State or political subdivision at the time the action was brought.

(b) If the action is based upon allegations or transactions that are the subject of a civil action or an administrative proceeding for a monetary penalty to which the State or political subdivision is already a party.

4. A complaint filed pursuant to this section must be placed under seal and so remain for at least 60 days or until the Attorney General or a designee of the Attorney General pursuant to NRS 357.070 has elected whether to intervene. No service may be made upon the defendant until so ordered by the court.

5. On the date the private plaintiff files a complaint, he or she shall send a copy of the complaint to the Attorney General by mail with return receipt requested. The private plaintiff shall send with each copy of the complaint a written disclosure of substantially all material evidence and information he or she possesses. If a district attorney or city attorney has accepted a designation from the Attorney General pursuant to NRS 357.070, the Attorney General shall forward a copy of the complaint to the district attorney or city attorney, as applicable.

6. An action pursuant to this chapter may be brought in any judicial district in this State in which the defendant can be found, resides, transacts business or in which any of the alleged fraudulent activities occurred.

(Added to NRS by 1999, 825, 826; A 2007, 2399; 2011, 375; 2013, 1046; 2015, 913)