Nevada SB 432 took effect on October 1, 2025, and it changed how family court hearings and records work in this state. If you are divorced, divorcing, or heading into a custody dispute, the practical effect is simpler than most of the coverage suggested: your hearing is now presumptively open, and closing it takes a specific reason on the record.

Here is what the law says, based on the enrolled bill text.

What SB 432 is

Senate Bill 432 came out of the Senate Judiciary Committee in the 2025 legislative session. It passed the Senate 21–0 and the Assembly 42–0. The governor signed it on June 10, 2025, and it became effective October 1, 2025, as Chapter 505.

The bill covers three things: whether family court hearings are open, which records the public can see, and a new crime for posting someone’s private identifying information.

The biggest change: hearings are presumptively open

Before SB 432, Nevada law under NRS 125.080 required courts to close certain family law proceedings. SB 432 repealed that statute, along with NRS 125.110, which had governed sealing divorce records.

In their place, the law now says family law proceedings are presumptively open.

A judge can still close a hearing. But to do it, the court has to find that closure is necessary to serve a compelling interest — protecting a child’s safety or mental health, for example. The judge must put that finding in writing, consider whether something short of closure would work, and keep any closure as narrow as possible.

That is a meaningful shift. The old rule closed the door by default. The new rule requires someone to justify closing it.

Which records stay private

SB 432 keeps a specific list of documents confidential without anyone having to ask. These include:

• Financial disclosure forms
• Documents already filed under seal
• Confidential exhibits
• Child custody evaluations
• Medical, psychiatric, and psychological evaluations

Anything outside that list is public unless a party asks the court to seal it — and sealing requires showing a compelling interest that outweighs the public’s interest in access.

The new felony, and what it actually covers

SB 432 created a new crime. Willfully and intentionally posting or displaying another person’s personal identifying information in public, without their consent, when the law requires that information be kept private, is a category D felony in Nevada. Under NRS 193.130, that carries one to four years and a fine of up to $5,000.

This provision drew the most criticism while the bill moved through the legislature. Advocates and some press-freedom groups argued it could chill people speaking publicly about family court.

It is worth being precise about what the provision covers. The crime is publishing someone’s protected personal identifying information — the kind of conduct usually called doxxing. It is not a ban on discussing your own case, criticizing a judge, or telling your story.

That said, the line between describing your case and exposing protected information about the other party is not always obvious. If you are considering going public with case details, that is a conversation to have with an attorney before you post, not after.

What SB 432 did not change

The bill is about privacy and access. It did not touch:

• How custody is decided, or any presumption about joint custody
• How child support is calculated
• Deadlines for temporary or interim orders
• The best-interest factors under NRS 125C.0035

If you have read otherwise, you have read something inaccurate — including, until this correction, an earlier article on this site.

What this means for you practically

Assume your hearing is open. Someone can sit in the gallery. Your ex’s family can. A reporter can. Prepare accordingly.

Ask early if you want it closed. Closure now requires a specific request and a written finding. It will not happen automatically.

Know which of your documents are already protected. Your financial disclosure and any custody evaluation are confidential without you doing anything.

Be careful what you post. The doxxing provision is real and it is a felony. Talking about your experience is fine. Publishing the other parent’s protected personal information is not.

Frequently asked questions

Is SB 432 a law or still a bill?

It is law. The governor signed it on June 10, 2025, and it took effect on October 1, 2025, as Chapter 505 of the 2025 Nevada Statutes.

Did SB 432 close Nevada family courts to the public?

No — the opposite on the main point. It repealed the statute that required closure and made family law proceedings presumptively open. Judges can still close a hearing, but only with a written finding of compelling interest.

Can I be charged with a felony for talking about my custody case?

The law does not criminalize discussing your case. The felony covers willfully posting another person’s protected personal identifying information without consent. If you are unsure whether something you want to share crosses that line, ask an attorney first.

Did SB 432 change child custody or child support rules in Nevada?

No. It does not address custody presumptions, support calculations, or interim order timelines. Those are governed by other statutes, primarily NRS Chapter 125C.

Are my financial documents public now that hearings are open?

No. Financial disclosure forms, custody evaluations, and medical or psychological evaluations remain confidential without a court order.

Sources

• Nevada Legislature — Senate Bill 432, 83rd Session (2025), enrolled text
• Nevada Revised Statutes 193.130 — category D felony penalties
• Las Vegas Review-Journal — coverage of the SB 432 debate

Fighting for your kids? Get real help.

Going through a custody case in Nevada and unsure how open-court rules affect you? The Family Court Help Line offers general guidance on court procedure and document preparation at (702) 609-3688.

Equal Rights for Divorced Fathers is a publication. We are not a law firm and we do not provide legal advice or representation. Nothing here creates an attorney-client relationship. Consult a licensed Nevada attorney about your specific case.

Correction — August 2026. An earlier version of this article described Senate Bill 432 as expanding the authority of Nevada family courts to close hearings and seal records. That characterization was inaccurate. SB 432 repealed NRS 125.080 and NRS 125.110 and established that family law proceedings are presumptively open. A separate article on this site previously attributed custody and child support provisions to SB 432 that the bill does not contain; that article has been withdrawn and redirected here. This article has been rewritten against the enrolled bill text.