A jury must consist of eight persons, unless the parties stipulate to a different number—but a jury may not consist of fewer than four members.
Rule 48.Number of jurors
Group VI: Trials · Last amended March 1, 2019 · Last verified July 14, 2026
In one sentenceRule 48 sets the default civil jury at eight members, lets the parties stipulate to a different number, and puts a floor of four members below which a jury may never fall.
Full Text of Rule 48
Notes
Drafter’s Note, Amendment Effective January 1, 2005: The rule is amended to provide for an 8-person jury with the parties authorized to stipulate to a 4-person jury in place of the former language that provided for a 12- person jury with the parties authorized to stipulate to a 4- or 8-person jury. The changes are based on current civil jury practice and the adoption of the Nevada Short Trial Rules.
Advisory Committee Note — 2019 Amendment: Rule 48 coordinates with NRS 16.030 and the Nevada Short Trial Rules on the number of jurors. Article 1, Section 3 of the Nevada Constitution and NRS 16.190 address non- unanimous verdicts and polling, making it unnecessary to incorporate FRCP 48(b) and (c).
Amendment History
Amended eff. 3-16-64; Amended eff. 1-1-05; Amended eff. 3-1-19.
Plain-English Summary
Unless the parties agree otherwise, a Nevada civil jury has eight members. That is a change from the older twelve-person requirement, and it lines up with current civil jury practice, NRS 16.030, and the Nevada Short Trial Rules, all of which coordinate around a smaller standard panel.
The parties are free to stipulate to a different number, but the rule draws a hard line at four; no stipulation can shrink the jury below that. The rule does not address whether a verdict must be unanimous or how jurors are polled, those questions are handled elsewhere, in the Nevada Constitution and NRS 16.190.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many jurors sit on a civil jury in Nevada?
Eight, unless the parties stipulate to a different number.
Can the parties agree to a smaller jury to save time?
Yes, parties may stipulate to fewer jurors, but the panel can never drop below four members.
What is the smallest jury Nevada law allows in a civil case?
Four members. Rule 48 sets that as an absolute floor regardless of any stipulation.
Does Rule 48 say whether the jury's verdict has to be unanimous?
No. Unanimity and polling the jury are addressed separately, in Article 1, Section 3 of the Nevada Constitution and in NRS 16.190.
Is the eight-person default connected to Nevada's short trial program?
Yes, in the sense that Rule 48 coordinates with NRS 16.030 and the Nevada Short Trial Rules, which also address jury size for streamlined civil cases.
Source & verification. Rule text, official Advisory Committee
Notes, and amendment history are reproduced verbatim from the Nevada Rules of Civil
Procedure, adopted by the Supreme Court of Nevada. Last verified July 14, 2026.
· Official source
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