Nevada District Courts
The Nevada District Courts are the trial courts of general jurisdiction in the Nevada state court system.
In the District Courts "criminal, civil, family, and juvenile matters are generally resolved through arbitration, mediation, and bench or jury trials."
The District Courts also hear appeals from the limited jurisdiction state courts, which are the 17 Municipal Courts (which handle involving traffic ticket and misdemeanor violations of ordinances occurring within the city limits of incorporated municipalities) and the 45 Justice Courts (which handle misdemeanor crime and traffic matters, small claims, evictions, and other civil matters in which the amount in controversy is less than $10,000, as well as felony and gross misdemeanor arraignments and preliminary hearings to determine if sufficient evidence exists for a trial in the District Court).
Appeals from the Nevada District Courts go to the Supreme Court of Nevada, which is the state supreme court. In the 2014 election Nevada created an intermediate appellate court by referendum. It is composed of three justices. It does not currently act as a gatekeeper for the Nevada Supreme Court and only has jurisdiction over particular matters. There are 78 judges sitting in ten district courts, each covering one or more of Nevada's 16 counties and one independent city:
- First Judicial District – Carson City (independent city) and Storey County. 2 judges.
- Second Judicial District – Washoe County. 15 judges (6 family court, 9 civil/criminal court).
- Third Judicial District – Lyon County. 2 judges.
- Fourth Judicial District – Elko County. 2 judges.
- Fifth Judicial District – Esmeralda County and Nye County. 2 judges.
- Sixth Judicial District – Humboldt County. 1 judge.
- Seventh Judicial District – Eureka County, Lincoln County, and White Pine County. 2 judges.
- Eighth Judicial District – Clark County (serves the Las Vegas metropolitan area and is the largest of the judicial districts). 52 judges (20 family court, 32 civil/criminal court).
- Ninth Judicial District – Douglas County. 2 judges.
- Tenth Judicial District – Churchill County. 1 judge.
- Eleventh Judicial District - Pershing County, Lander County, and Mineral County. 1 judge
External links
- Nevada Revised Statutes, Chapter 3 - District Courts
- Nevada Supreme Court page on the Nevada state court system
- Article on Judgepedia
- Eighth Judicial District Court Page