Construction-defect cases streamlined

Jennifer Knight

Monday, July 21, 2003 | 9:36 a.m.

The volume of construction-defect cases waiting for trial in Las Vegas courtrooms is on the decline, and experts are attributing it to a new system designed to handle the special cases, District Court officials said Friday.

The District Court had 218 cases construction defect cases pending as of June 30 and was able to close 27 cases, making it the first year that more cases were closed than filed.

The decline is mostly attributed to the creation of three new courtrooms for construction-defect litigation.

"Early on when these cases started coming in, no one knew what they were going to be like to try," said District Judge Nancy Saitta, who handles mostly construction-defect cases. "Now that we've put our arms around it, it's like anything else. You know what it is and you are better able to handle it."

Saitta said that before 2002, construction-defect cases were spread out among all District Court judges, causing attorneys to hopscotch around various courtrooms.

More than a year ago county officials changed the process and created the Complex Litigation Center. Saitta and District Judges Allan Earl and Michael Cherry were assigned to try the cases in new courtrooms that could house up to 40 attorneys. The facilities also have meeting rooms for mediations and settlement conferences.

"It's sort of a one-stop shop for construction defect cases," Saitta said.

Scott Canepa, a construction-defect lawyer, said he has noticed his caseload dropping lately.

"The dropoff is totally attributable to the fact that they have streamlined the complex process of construction-defect cases over the years," Canepa said.

Laws have also changed recently to give builders a chance to clear up defects before cases ever get to court, Canepa said.

Experts say that as long as the Las Vegas Valley continues to grow, the need for specialized attention to construction-defect litigation will remain.

"It has given all three of us (judges) the opportunity to become specialized in this area," Saitta said. "It's truly a courthouse-wide project."