United States District Court for the District of Nevada
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The United States District Court for the District of Nevada is the United States district court whose jurisdiction is the state of Nevada. The court has locations in Las Vegas and Reno.
The United States Attorney's Office for the District of Nevada represents the United States in civil and criminal litigation in the court. The current United States Attorney is Steven Myhre. When decisions of the court are appealed, they are appealed to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals based in Downtown San Francisco at the James R. Browning Federal Courthouse, but hears initial appeals at the Richard Chambers Federal Courthouse in Pasadena, CA.
Vacancy warning level
The United States District Court for the District of Nevada's vacancy warning level is currently set at orange. The court currently has two vacancies out of their seven posts, constituting 29% of their seats. There are no pending appointments for the district.
Jurisdiction
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The jurisdiction of the District of Nevada consists of all the counties in the state of Nevada. The Lloyd D. George Federal District Courthouse is the home for the district court in Las Vegas. The building of the courthouse was completed in 2002 and was the first federal building built to comply with the post-Oklahoma City blast resistance requirements. When decisions of the court are appealed, they are appealed to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals based in Downtown San Francisco at the James R. Browning Federal Courthouse. |
Cases heard
The District of Nevada has original jurisdiction over cases filed within its jurisdiction. These cases can include civil and criminal matters that fall under federal law.
Case load
| Federal Court Case Load Statistics* |
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| Year | Starting case load: | Cases filed: | Total cases: | Cases terminated: | Remaining cases: | Median time(Criminal)**: | Median time(Civil)**: | 3 Year Civil cases#: | Vacant posts:## | Trials/Post | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 1975 | 2200 | 4175 | 2308 | 1867 | 10.1 | 8.7 | 104(7.1%) | 0 | 29 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009 | 2018 | 2172 | 4190 | 2201 | 1989 | 11.2 | 9.2 | 61(4%) | 0 | 32 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008 | 1983 | 2187 | 4170 | 2143 | 2027 | 2018 | 8.8 | 9.1 | 6.8 | 29 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007 | 1896 | 2293 | 4189 | 2197 | 1992 | 8.0 | 8.6 | 134(9.3%) | 0 | 28 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006 | 2041 | 2300 | 4341 | 2464 | 1877 | 8.3 | 9.5 | 125(9%) | 0 | 33 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| *All statistics are taken from the Official Federal Courts' Website and reflect the calendar year through September. **Time in months from filing to completion. #This statistic includes cases which have been appealed in higher courts. ##This is the total number of months that any all judicial posts had spent vacant that year. |
Clerk's office
The District of Nevada has two separate courthouses. The Clerk's office is open Monday through Friday 9 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., excluding Federal holidays. Please consult the chart below for more information:
| Branch | Address | Phone number |
|---|---|---|
| Las Vegas Division
Lloyd D. George U.S. Courthouse |
333 S. Las Vegas Blvd. Las Vegas, NV 89101 |
(702) 464-5400 |
| Reno Division
Bruce R. Thompson Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse |
400 S. Virginia St. Reno, NV 89501 |
(775) 686-5800 |
History
Court history
The District of Nevada was established by Congress on February 27, 1865 with one post to cover the entire state and was assigned over to the Tenth Circuit. On July 23, 1866, Congress reorganized the circuits and assigned the District of Nevada over to the Ninth Circuit. Over time 6 additional judicial posts were added for a total of 7 current posts.[2]
Judicial posts
The following table highlights the development of judicial posts for the District of Nevada:
| Year | Statute | Total Seats |
| February 27, 1865 | 13 Stat. 440 | 1 |
| July 23, 1866 | 14 Stat. 209 | 1 |
| February 10, 1954 | 68 Stat. 8 | 2 (1 temporary) |
| May 19, 1961 | 75 Stat. 80 | 2 |
| October 20, 1978 | 92 Stat. 1629 | 3 |
| July 10, 1984 | 98 Stat. 33 | 4 |
| November 29, 1999 | 113 Stat. 1501 | 6 |
| December 21, 2000 | 114 Stat. 2762 | 7 |
Notable cases
For a searchable list of opinions, please see Justia.com-Nevada District Court Cases.
| • Girls Gone Wild bribery case Judge(s):Larry Hicks *[ USA v. Michon Mills] |
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| In 2010, Judge Hicks presided in the case of a former Nevada Sheriff's Deputy who was charged with accepting $10,000 in gifts from Girls Gone Wild founder Joe Francis, while the founder was jailed in Nevada.
Former Washoe County Sheriff's Deputy Michon Mills was charged with accepting gifts from Francis while giving Francis preferential treatment in the jail. Attorneys representing Mills asked the judge to dismiss the case on January 27, 2010, but was denied by Judge Hicks. [3] Mills was acquitted of all charges in early 2010.[4] |
| • I-215 paving case Judge(s):Robert C. Jones |
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| On August 6, 2009, Judge Jones issued a restraining order involving a paving project on Interstate 215 in the Las Vegas Area. The judge ruled in favor of a complaint from a contractor from the State of North Dakota who believed that Clark County Board abused its power to award a contract to a local company despite the out of state company having a lower bid.[5] The judge ordered that no construction or new bidding can begin until August 20, 2009.[5] |
Federal courthouse
Two separate courthouses serve the District of Nevada.
Major news
For new stories and other related material see Nevada judicial news.
Las Vegas courthouse shooting
On January 4, 2010, a shooting happened at the Lloyd George federal courthouse in Las Vegas in where the gunman and the security officer were killed. The shooting happened at 8:00 AM-Pacific Standard Time in the courthouse's main lobby. The gunman who was killed in the case was Johnnie Lee Wicks. Wicks filed a racial discrimination case in 2008 against the Social Security Administration.[6]
See also
External links
- United States District Court - District of Nevada
- US Attorney's Office for the District of Nevada
- Judges of the District of Nevada
- Opinions of the District of Nevada
References
- ↑ Court Clerk Information(Select the appropriate division for info and map)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 FJC History of the District of Nevada
- ↑ San Jose Mercury News "Judge in Reno won't stop 'Girls Gone Wild' trial", January 27, 2010
- ↑ Manila Bulletin Publishing Corporation "Ex-Nev. deputy acquitted in 'Girls Gone Wild' case" January 30, 2010
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "San Luis Obispo" Judge stops Las Vegas Beltway paving project, August 5, 2009
- ↑ "Las Vegas Review Journal" Court officer, suspect killed in federal courthouse shooting, January 4, 2010
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| Contents |
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| 1 Court |
| 2 Judges |
| 2.1 Active Judges |
| 2.1.1 Article III judges |
| 2.1.2 Pending appointments |
| 2.1.3 Senior judges |
| 2.2 Past judges |
| 2.2.1 Former Chief judges |
| 2.2.2 Former judges |
Active judges
Article III judges
See: Article III federal judgeThe United States District Court for the District of Nevada has 7 posts and 2 vacancies. The current Chief Judge is Robert C. Jones. This is a list of the current judges on the court:
| Judge | Born | Home | Appointed by | Active | Chief | Preceeded | Bachelors | Law |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Judge James Mahan | 1943 | El Paso, TX | W. Bush | 1/30/2002 - Present | New Seat|114 Stat. 2762 | U. of Charleston, B.A., 1965 | Vanderbilt U. Law School, J.D., 1973 | |
| Chief Judge Robert C. Jones | 1947 | Las Vegas, NV | W. Bush | 11/30/2003 - Present | 2011 - Present | David Hagen | Brigham Young U., B.S., 1971 | U. of California, Los Angeles, School of Law, J.D., 1975 |
| Judge Gloria M. Navarro | 1967 | Las Vegas, NV | Obama | 5/6/2010 - Present | Brian Sandoval | U. of Nevada Las Vegas, B.A., 1989 | Arizona State U. College of Law, J.D., 1992 | |
| Judge Miranda Du | Obama | 3/28/2012 - Present | Roger Hunt | U. of California, Davis, B.A., 1991 | U. of California, Berkeley Law, J.D., 1994 | |||
| Judge Andrew Gordon | 1962 | San Francisco, CA | Obama | 3/11/2013 - Present | Kent Dawson | Claremont McKenna College, B.A., 1984 | Harvard Law, J.D., 1987 |
Pending appointments
The United States District Court for the District of Nevada has 0 appointees pending and 2 vacancies. This is a list of the current pending appointees to the court:| Judge | Confirmation | Bachelors | Law |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jennifer Dorsey | U. of Nevadas, Las Vegas, B.A., 1994 | Pepperdine U. Law, J.D., 1997 |
Senior judges
See: Federal judges on senior statusThe United States District Court for the District of Nevada has 7 judges on senior status currently. This is a list of the current senior judges on the court:
| Judge | Appointed by | Active | Chief | Senior | Bachelors | Law |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Senior Judge Roger Hunt | Clinton | 5/25/2000 - 5/26/2011 | 2007 - 2011 | 5/26/2011 - Present | Brigham Young U., B.A., 1966 | George Washington U., J.D., 1970 |
| Senior Judge Phil Pro | Reagan | 7/23/1987 - 12/31/2011 | 2002 - 2007 | 12/31/2011 - Present | San Francisco State U., B.A., 1968 | Golden Gate U. School of Law, J.D., 1972 |
| Senior Judge Kent Dawson | Clinton | 5/31/2000 - 7/9/2012 | 7/9/2012 - Present | Weber State College, B.S., 1969 | U. of Utah School of Law, J.D., 1971 | |
| Senior Judge Lloyd George | Reagan | 5/3/1984 - 12/1/1997 | 1992 - 1997 | 12/1/1997 - Present | Brigham Young U., B.S., 1955 | U. of California, Berkeley, Boalt Hall School of Law, J.D., 1961 |
| Senior Judge Larry Hicks | W. Bush | 11/7/2001 - 12/13/2012 | 12/13/2012 - Present | U. of Nevada, B.S., 1965 | U. of Colorado, J.D., 1968 | |
| Senior Judge Edward Reed | Carter | 9/26/1979 - 7/15/1992 | 1986 - 1992 | 7/15/1992 - Present | U. of Nevada, B.A., 1949 | Harvard Law School, J.D., 1952 |
| Senior Judge Howard McKibben | Reagan | 10/4/1984 - 4/1/2005 | 1997 - 2002 | 4/1/2005 - Present | Bradley U., B.S., 1962 | U. of Michigan Law School, J.D., 1967 |
Magistrate judges
| Judge | Active | Bachelors | Law |
|---|---|---|---|
| Magistrate Judge Valerie Cooke | 1999-Current | U. of Nevada, Reno, B.A | Northwestern School of Law of Lewis and Clark College, J.D. |
| Federal Magistrate Judge Robert McQuaid, Jr. | 1996-9/2/2011 | U. of Nevada, Reno, B.A., 1968 | Willamette University College of Law, J.D., 1971 |
| Magistrate Judge George Foley | August 2005-Current | U. of Nevada, B.A., 1977 | U. of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law, J.D., 1980 |
| Magistrate Judge Peggy Leen | 1/16/2001-Current | U. of Nevada, Las Vegas, 1976 | U. of San Diego Law School, J.D., 1979 |
| Magistrate Judge Vincent Ferenbach | 8/7/2011-Current | Princeton, 1969 | Arizona State U., J.D., 1979 |
| Magistrate Judge Carl Hoffman | |||
| Magistrate Judge William Cobb | 09/04/2011 - Present | U. of Nevada | Lews & Clark Law |
| Judge Nancy J. Koppe | 2013-Present | Cornell Law School |
Past judges
Former Chief judges
| Judge | Term |
|---|---|
| John Rolly Ross | 1961 - 1963 |
| Roger T. Foley | 1954 - 1957 |
| Roger Foley | 1963 - 1980 |
| Harry Claiborne | 1980 - 1986 |
| Howard McKibben | 1997 - 2002 |
| Edward Reed | 1986 - 1992 |
| Lloyd George | 1992 - 1997 |
| Phil Pro | 2002 - 2007 |
| Roger Hunt | 2007 - 2011 |
In order to qualify for the office of Chief Judge in one of the federal courts, a judge must have been in active service on the court for at least one year, be under the age of 65, and have not previously served as Chief Judge. A vacancy in the office of Chief Judge is filled by the judge highest in seniority among the group of qualified judges. The Chief Judge serves for a term of seven years or until age 70, whichever occurs first. The age restrictions are waived if no members of the court would otherwise be qualified for the position. Unlike the Chief Justice of the United States, a Chief Judge returns to active service after the expiration of his or her term and does not create a vacancy on the bench by the fact of his or her promotion. See 28 U.S.C. § 45.
These rules for Chief Judges in the federal judiciary have been in effect since October 1, 1982. The office of Chief Judge was created in 1948. Until August 6, 1959, the position was filled in each federal court by the longest-serving judge who had not elected to retire on what has since 1958 been known as senior status or declined to serve as Chief Judge. From then until 1982 it was filled by the senior such judge who had not turned 70.
Former judges
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| Active judges |
Chief Judge: Robert C. Jones • James Mahan • Gloria M. Navarro • Miranda Du • Andrew Gordon | ||
| Senior judges |
Roger Hunt • Phil Pro • Kent Dawson • Lloyd George • Larry Hicks • Edward Reed • Howard McKibben • | ||
| Magistrate judges | Valerie Cooke • Robert McQuaid, Jr. • George Foley • Peggy Leen • Vincent Ferenbach • Carl Hoffman • William Cobb • Nancy J. Koppe • | ||
| Former Article III judges |
Alexander White Baldwin • Edgar Winters Hillyer • George Myron Sabin • Thomas Porter Hawley • Edward Silsby Farrington • Brian Sandoval • Frank Herbert Norcross • Johnnie Rawlinson • Harry Claiborne • Roger Foley • Roger T. Foley • David Hagen • Bruce Thompson • John Rolly Ross • | ||
| Former Chief judges |
Roger Hunt • Phil Pro • Lloyd George • Edward Reed • Howard McKibben • Harry Claiborne • Roger Foley • Roger T. Foley • John Rolly Ross • | ||
