The City of Reno is planning to appeal verdicts that found the city caused damages to Lemmon Valley homeowners for being flooded out of their homes.
But District Court Judge Barry Breslow in a late afternoon hearing, and in two separate orders published today, ordered the city to pay three plaintiffs $1.1 million in damages, interest, costs and attorney fees. Breslow previously awarded plaintiffs more than $750,000.
The judge cited Nevada law: “Nevada Revised Statute 37.170(1) provides that the Court may require deposit of ‘…such further sum as may be required by the court as a fund to pay any further damages and costs that may be recovered in the proceedings, as well as all damages that may be sustained by the defendant…’”
The city tried to avoid paying because of its planned appeal.
“We’re just requesting a stay pending the appeal and, lacking that, if we could get a period of time to make a stay request of the Supreme Court, and get some time for that…” Deputy City Attorney Jonathan Shipman requested of the court.
Breslow ordered the city to pay now.
The city has 24 hours to cut a check to be deposited to the court. Should the city prevail on appeal, plaintiffs will have to pay back the money — unless the Nevada Supreme Court determines otherwise.
Breslow previously fined the city, as first reported by This Is Reno, for failing to admit to basic facts in the case.
Another 27 cases against the city are making their way through the legal system.
