The Nevada Administrative Office of the Courts announced Tuesday that applications for District Court Judge James Todd Russell’s seat will open Aug. 12.
Russell is retiring Oct. 31 after nearly 18 years in Department 1 of First Judicial District Court in Carson City.
Submissions are due by noon on Sept. 19. Applicants must contact Margarita Bautista at mbautista@nvcourts.nv.gov to receive application materials. Materials will not be released prior to Aug. 12, AOC officials advised. For application instructions, go to nvcourts.gov/_media/media/folders/committees_and_commissions/judicial_selection/documents.
A district court judge must be at least 25 years old, be a licensed attorney in Nevada and be a qualified elector, among other requirements. The full requirements can be viewed at https://www.leg.state.nv.us/nrs/NRS-003.html#NRS003Sec060.
State law also provides for an interim appointment by the governor.
“Whenever any vacancy shall occur in the office of district judge the governor shall fill the same by granting a commission, which shall expire at the next general election by the people and upon the qualification of his or her successor, at which election a district judge shall be chosen for the balance of the unexpired term,” says NRS 3.080.
The appointment process will be like the one for Department 2 Judge James Wilson’s retirement in January, when former Carson City Justice of the Peace Kristin Luis was appointed by Gov. Joe Lombardo to temporarily fill that seat. Luis had been one of three finalists forwarded by the Commission on Judicial Selection to the governor for consideration.
Luis is now facing off in the November general election with Carson attorney Mark Krueger for a full term.