Occupation: Attorney
Age: 55
Contact: mel@melanieforcc.com, https://www.melanieforcc.com/
Record of service:
Carson City District Attorney’s Office (1995-2010) Positions: Deputy District Attorney and Chief Deputy District Attorney
Carson City Human Resources (2010-2023) Position: Director;
Bruketta Law – 2023 to present. Position: Contract attorney for Douglas County District Attorney’s Office
Education:
Carson High School (Class of 1987)
University of Nevada, Reno (Bachelor of Arts Criminal Justice and Bachelor of Arts Spanish) (1987-1991)
Unversidad de País Vasco, San Sebastián, Spain (study abroad)
Gonzaga University School of Law, Spokane, WA (Juris Doctorate) (1991-1994)
Admitted to practice law in the state of Nevada in 1994
Bruketta
Briefly describe the core duties of the position you are running for.
The Carson City Justice/Municipal Court is a court composed of criminal, civil, and administrative responsibilities including: setting initial bail in all criminal offenses, adjudicating misdemeanor offenses, issuing criminal warrants, issuing civil protection orders, adjudicating civil cases up to $15,000, resolving landlord/tenant disputes, and overseeing courthouse operations.
A brief statement about your platform.
My campaign platform is four-fold: (1) accountability, (2) reducing recidivism, (3) equal access to justice, and (4) individualized determinations.
Accountability: Holding individuals responsible for their actions and imposing appropriate consequences.
Reducing recidivism: Aiming to prevent individuals from reoffending by offering services to those who qualify.
Equal access to justice: Providing all individuals an opportunity to seek and obtain a fair resolution to their legal matters.
Individualized determinations: Listening to the parties and tailoring decisions to the unique circumstances of each case.
I am a graduate of Carson High, the University of Nevada, Reno, and Gonzaga School of Law. I am a nearly life-long resident of Carson City, a mother of three who raised my family here, and an attorney who devoted my career to working for the residents of Carson City. In addition to my dedication to this community, the skills I bring to the office include compassion, integrity, critical thinking, and fairness. Compassion for the law and the community are what I will bring as your next justice of the peace.
What makes you the most qualified candidate for this position?
The Carson City Justice Court is frequently referred to as “The People’s Court.” Fundamentally the position requires a person with community experience and dedication. This is reflected in the position’s history, with previous justices being long time Nevada residents from diverse backgrounds such as a chief of police, a schoolteacher, and attorneys.
As an attorney with 30 years of experience, nearly 20 years more than my opponents, I have the background to adjudicate misdemeanor cases, landlord tenant disputes and civil actions. I also possess the necessary administrative experience to help ensure continued courthouse services. My career began in the Carson City District Attorney’s office appearing before the Carson City Justice and District Courts as a prosecutor and then as a civil deputy district attorney. It is my experience that led me to being the recipient of the James M. Bartely Public Service Award in 2007 – an award given to the top public lawyer in the State of Nevada selected by my peers.
As a nearly life-long resident of Carson City, I understand the community’s interests. This is the community I was raised in and where I chose to raise my family. In addition to dedicating my professional career to public service in this community, I have volunteered many hours, coaching AYSO soccer, volunteering in our schools and other local community events. I am a proud member of Carson City’s Rotary Club. Having lived in Carson City for nearly four decades and working in employment and labor law, I understand the needs of this community and the services that are available to our residents. I appreciate the importance of the community organizations that provide the services.
For these reasons, I am the most qualified candidate for this position and would appreciate your vote. Thank you.
Occupation: Supervising deputy district attorney in Carson City
Age: 36
Contact: www.votejusticeleague.com, tysonleague@votejusticeleague.com
Record of service:
I began my legal career at the Carson City District Attorney’s Office in 2014. Since then, I have spent the majority of the last decade serving our community by ensuring public safety which is vital to our quality of life in Carson City. Currently, I appear daily in the Justice Court and have handled thousands of cases from traffic tickets to homicide and everything in between. I have handled hundreds of trials during my career and have worked to bring victim’s justice. As a member of the District Attorney’s Office, I have served in multiple specialty court programs for mental health and substance abuse. I regularly teach at Police Officer Standards and Training and my candidacy for Justice of the Peace is endorsed by the Public Safety Alliance of Nevada, which represents nearly 10,000 police officers around the state. Being in Justice Court everyday makes me a candidate who will be effective as Justice of The Peace on day one.
Education:
Bachelor’s degree in political science from Chapman University
Juris Doctorate from Whittier Law School with a concentration in criminal law
League
Briefly describe the core duties of the position you are running for.
The Justice of the Peace is the judge who hears and decides evictions, small claims, protection orders, and criminal matters. A Justice of the Peace spends most of their time on criminal cases, deciding bail, holding trials and hearings. They also receive warrant calls at all hours day and night.
A brief statement about your platform.
Carson City has been privileged to have qualified and capable judges in Justice Court making decisions that are critical to our quality of life and public safety. It is my goal to continue this legacy. The Justice of the Peace is the first judge that a criminal defendant appears in front of. They are the judge who decides if someone is released into our community or if they remain in custody. Because of this duty, it is critical that a Justice of the Peace prioritizes public safety. Safety can be served through a variety of avenues including incarceration and treatment. In order to be successful, a judge must know when to use community resources and when incarceration is critical for public safety. They need to know the intricacies of the system and the law to be able to make legally sound and good decisions. I have worked in Justice Court for years and handled thousands of cases. I am currently in that court room daily, which means I have up-to-date information about the system and the law. Our safety is determined by who makes those decisions; mistakes and learning on the job have life altering impacts on defendants and victims.
What makes you the most qualified candidate for this position?
I am running for Justice of The Peace to ensure that our community is a safe and healthy place to live. My wife and I are proud to call Carson City our home and hope that our son can grow up in a safe, vibrant and value-oriented community. I have spent the last decade preparing for this position by being in Justice Court daily, participating in professional trainings and the intricate processes of our justice system. I have worked as an attorney in both civil and criminal law. The majority of my time has been spent doing criminal law and the majority of the Justice Court calendar is taken up by criminal cases. I am the only candidate that currently serves on call and assists law enforcement in their requests for search warrants at all hours. I am the only candidate who participates in a specialty court program that provides accountability and treatment to members of the community struggling with addiction and/or mental health. I am the only candidate who currently appears at bail hearings, including those that occur on holidays and weekends. The recency of my experience is critical. I am currently in Justice Court daily. There have been many changes in the law over the last few years. To make good decisions, a judge needs to know the law; it is the foundation of a fair and just system. Justice Court in Carson City is incredibly busy and fast paced. It is important that the judge makes good decisions from day one. I am the only candidate with the current experience to be able to do that. I am the only candidate who has the detailed knowledge of the law and the court processes to be able to make sound and just decisions to keep our community safe.
Spence
Spence is a 1993 Carson High graduate. He went to the University of Nevada, Reno, and Barry Law School. He has three adult children and one grandchild. He opened his law firm in Carson in 2013 and has been “running it solo since.”
“I currently also hold one of the three conflict counsel contracts for Carson City,” he said in an email in January. “I have always wanted and planned on becoming a judge one day. My law firm has been set up from day one as a general law practice. This would give me the best chance of becoming exposed to all the different fields of law. With the idea that this general experience would round me out and give me the most skills I will need to be a fair and balanced judge.”
Editor’s note: Spence didn’t respond to multiple forms of request for participation.