Judge Melisa De La Garza

Judge Melisa De La Garza was raised in Las Vegas and received her Bachelor of Science with a degree in Criminal Justice at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Judge De La Garza obtained her Juris Doctorate from the Creighton University School of Law in Omaha, Nebraska. She was the first Law Clerk for the Las Vegas Township, Justice Court. Upon passing the bar, she was hired by District Attorney Stew Bell, and she prosecuted cases for 8 years as a Deputy District Attorney. She continued as a trial attorney in the Public Defender’s Office for the next three years before opening her own law practice. During that time, she was also a Pro Tem in North Las Vegas and Henderson. Judge De La Garza returned to the County in 2010 as a Hearing Master for Eighth Judicial District Court. In June 2018, Judge De La Garza was elected as the first Justice of the Peace in Las Vegas Township, Justice Court, Department 15. In September 2024, Judge De La Garza was elected by her colleagues to be Chief Judge of Las Vegas Justice Court. In addition to the duties of Chief Judge, she currently presides over the Community Court program.