This summary is not the rule. The rule text controls.
Small claims cases in justice court are meant to be simple and informal. Because of this, judges have a lot of freedom in how they handle motions filed in these cases. If someone files a motion based on the regular civil procedure rules (Rules 3 through 71), the judge can simply turn it down without much explanation, since those formal rules do not fully apply to small claims cases.
If a motion needs the judge to look at facts or hold a hearing to decide it, the judge gets to choose when that happens. The judge can deal with it before the trial starts, or wait and handle it on the day of the small claims trial itself.
There is one specific type of motion that gets special treatment: a motion to dismiss because the court does not have jurisdiction over the case. This type of motion must be based on the rule found in NRS 73.010, and the judge can choose to decide this before trial rather than waiting.
Finally, no matter what kind of motion someone files, it has to be properly served on the other side following Rule 5, and it must meet the requirements of Rule 11, which generally means the motion has to be filed in good faith and for a proper purpose.
