NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
6 Attorneys Apply to Fill Vacancy in the Eighth Judicial District Court
December 18, 2024
Justice Douglas Herndon announced this afternoon the Nevada Commission on Judicial Selection received 6 applications from individuals who wish to fill the judicial opening in Department Y of the Eighth Judicial District Court.
This Commission will nominate a panel of three to fill the vacancy. Department Y is vacant through the resignation of the Honorable Stephanie Charter in mid-November of this year. The applicants in alphabetical order are as follows:
Eighth Judicial District Department Y
| Name | Age | City of Residence | Employer | Job Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paul M. Gaudet | 59 | Las Vegas | Eighth Judicial District Court | District Court Judge |
| Melvin Grimes | 58 | Henderson | Roberts Stoffel Family Law Group | Senior Attorney |
| Emily McFarling | 49 | Las Vegas |
Law Office of Emily McFarling LLC Accident Attorneys of Southern Nevada |
Managing Partner Owner |
| Nicholas Petsas | 41 | Las Vegas | Petsas Law Group, PLLC | Manager |
| Adriana White | 49 | Las Vegas | Eighth Judicial District Court | Hearing Master |
| Jason Stoffel | 47 | Henderson | Roberts Stoffel Family Law Group | Law Partner |
Nevada attorneys with 10 years of legal experience, including two years of Nevada practice were encouraged to apply for the opening. Interviews to fill this vacancy are scheduled for January 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. The interviews will be streamed live through the Supreme Court’s YouTube channel and are open to the public. After the interviews, the Commission will nominate three finalists to forward to Governor Joe Lombardo.
The Commission is composed of seven permanent members – the Supreme Court Chief Justice, three non-attorneys appointed by the Governor, and three attorneys appointed by the State Bar of Nevada. Neither the Governor nor the State Bar may appoint more than two permanent members from the same political party and cannot appoint two members from the same county. For District Court vacancies, two temporary members are appointed from the judicial district where the vacancy occurs – a non-attorney by the Governor and an attorney by the State Bar – bringing the Commission membership to nine.
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