1. At least 5 days prior to the date set for hearing, all parties in interest who are aggrieved or dissatisfied with the order of determination of the State Engineer shall file with the clerk of the court notice of exceptions to the order of determination of the State Engineer. The notice shall state briefly the exceptions taken and the prayer for relief. A copy thereof shall be served upon or transmitted to the State Engineer by registered or certified mail.

2. The order of determination by the State Engineer and the statements or claims of claimants and exceptions made to the order of determination shall constitute the pleadings, and there shall be no other pleadings in the cause.

3. If no exceptions shall have been filed with the clerk of the court as provided in subsection 1, then on the day set for hearing the court may take further testimony if deemed proper, and shall then enter its findings of fact and judgment and decree.

4. On the day set for hearing, all parties in interest who have filed notices of exceptions, as provided in subsection 1, shall appear in person or by counsel, and the court shall hear the same or set the time for hearing, until such exceptions are disposed of.

5. All proceedings thereunder, including the taking of testimony, shall be as nearly as may be in accordance with the Nevada Rules of Civil Procedure; but the provisions of the Nevada Rules of Civil Procedure and NRS 18.110 shall not apply respecting the service of proposed findings of fact and decree or service and filing of a cost bill, and service shall be made in the following manner. All claimants who have filed exceptions or objections to the final order of determination shall be served with a copy of the proposed findings of fact and decree by serving the attorney who appeared for such claimants in the proceedings. All claimants or water users who have not filed exceptions or objections to the final order of determination shall be served with a copy of the proposed findings of fact and decree by serving a copy thereof on the Attorney General. Such service, in each instance, shall be made at least 30 days before the findings of fact and decree shall be signed by the court, and the court shall not sign any findings of fact therein prior to the expiration of such 30 days. The cost bill shall be prepared and filed with the clerk of the court wherein the proceedings are pending, and it shall not be necessary to serve any of the exceptors, claimants or appropriators or their attorneys with a copy of the cost bill.

[35:140:1913; A 1915, 378; 1921, 171; 1927, 334; NCL § 7922] — (NRS A 1969, 95)