Nevada Leaves Clark County Judge Vacancy Open Until November Election

The Nevada Commission on Judicial Selection declined to forward the sole applicant for a vacant Clark County Family Court seat to Gov. Joe Lombardo, leaving the Department S position open for the November 3, 2026, general election.

The commission took the action July 21 after considering Kristine Brewer, the only attorney who applied for Department S of the Eighth Judicial District Court. The vacancy was created by the resignation of Judge Vincent Ochoa earlier in July, according to the Nevada Judiciary.

Because the seat is already scheduled for the November ballot, the commission chose to leave the vacancy open rather than send Brewer’s name to the governor. The Nevada Judiciary said the Senior Judge Program will cover Department S so the court’s work can continue during the interim.

Why the commission left the seat open

Nevada’s Commission on Judicial Selection handles midterm vacancies on the Nevada Supreme Court, Court of Appeals and district courts. Under the commission’s published process, it solicits applications, conducts background investigations and interviews, selects three finalists and sends their names to the governor. The governor appoints one of the nominees.

That appointment is temporary. The judiciary says an appointee serves until the first Monday in January following the next general election, rather than through the full unexpired judicial term.

In Department S, the commission determined that an appointment was unnecessary because the seat is scheduled to be filled through the 2026 election process. The commission’s announcement does not say Brewer was found unqualified. The decision should not be described as a denial based on her credentials.

How Department S will operate

Department S is part of the Eighth Judicial District Court’s Family Division in Clark County. The division handles family-law matters, including divorce, child custody and related cases.

The Nevada Judiciary said the Senior Judge Program will provide interim coverage. The program allows retired judges to return to active service for assignments that can include covering judicial vacancies, individual cases or periods when a sitting judge is unavailable.

People with Department S cases should continue to use the court’s existing filing and scheduling channels and watch for any case-specific notice from the court. The judiciary’s announcement does not say that cases will automatically be delayed or that current hearing dates will change.

What happens next

The temporary vacancy appointment process ended without a gubernatorial appointment. The next major step is the November 3 general election, the date established for Nevada’s 2026 general election under state law.

The decision illustrates the difference between filling a midterm vacancy and electing a judge to a regular term. A gubernatorial appointment would have provided temporary service until the next election-related term began. Because the election is near, the commission instead left the seat open and relied on senior-judge coverage while voters choose the judge.

The Nevada Judiciary and Clark County court system are the places to watch for updates about judicial assignments, hearing schedules and the transition after the election. The current court announcement does not identify who will appear on the general-election ballot.

Sources

• Nevada Judiciary vacancy decision
• Clark County judicial directory
• Nevada general-election statute