Campaign Phone Number
(702)319-1851
Endorsements
Armed Forces Chamber, Veterans in Politics, Nevada Veterans Caucus, Nevada Veterans Association
I have practiced law in Nevada for more than 20 years, with nearly two decades devoted to family law. My experience includes divorce, custody, child support, abuse and neglect, juvenile matters, guardianships, adoptions, TPOs, and other issues regularly heard in Family Court. I have handled countless contested custody and divorce trials and have extensive appellate experience, including arguing before the Nevada Supreme Court and Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. My academic background is in Psychology, but my passion was always the law, leading me to focus my career on advocating for others and helping families navigate difficult circumstances. Throughout my career, I have remained committed to putting families first.
Fairness begins with approaching every case objectively and ensuring that each litigant has a meaningful opportunity to be heard. I will treat every party in the courtroom with dignity and respect, carefully consider the evidence presented, and rule in accordance with Nevada law without regard to politics, personalities, or outside influence. Clear, well-reasoned decisions, consistency, preparation, and respectful courtroom management are essential to maintaining public confidence. As a judge, I will strive to reflect the principles of MARR: Merit, Accountability, Responsibility, and Respect.
The best interest of the child must guide every custody decision. I will evaluate each case objectively, considering all statutory factors, including domestic violence, safety, stability, the child’s needs, parental cooperation, and each parent’s willingness to support the child’s relationship with the other parent. High-conflict cases may also involve TPOs or criminal matters, making safety especially important. In my practice, I have handled matters involving domestic violence, abuse, neglect, and serious parental conflict. Behavioral orders are often necessary in these cases, and compliance with court orders is essential to protecting children and reducing conflict.
Spousal support should never be automatic or punitive. It should be a fact-specific, just and equitable determination based on Nevada law. I will consider, inter alia, the length of the marriage, each party’s financial condition, income and earning capacity, health, standard of living, contributions of the parties, property division, and whether education or retraining is appropriate. In my divorce practice, I have seen long marriages with significant income disparities where alimony was appropriate, while other cases involving comparable earning abilities supported limited or no support. Every case is different and should be given the individual attention it deserves.
Campaign Phone Number
725-301-0637
Endorsements
Nevada Police Union, Public Safety Alliance of Nevada, Las Vegas Police Managers & Supervisors Association, Las Vegas Police Protective Association, Las Vegas Peace Officer Supervisor Association, Police Officers Association of Clark County School District, Las Vegas Peace Officers Association, Peace Officers Research Association of Nevada, Sparks Police Protective Association, Washoe County Sheriff Deputies Association, Reno Police Protective Association, Carson City Sheriff's Supervisory Association, Professional Fire Fighters of Nevada (PFFN), Nevada Association of Public Safety Officers (NAPSO), Washoe County School Police Officer's Association, Douglas County Sheriff's Protective Association, Clark County Prosecutors Association (CCPA), Third Branch PAC, Clark County District Attorney Investigators Association, Carpenters Union, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), Clark County Deputy Marshals Association (CCDMA), Southern Nevada Central Labor Council, Laborers' International Union of North America (LiUNA Local 872), SEIU Local 1107, Bartenders Local 165, Culinary Workers Union Local 226, SMART Local 88, Nevada Veterans United (NVVU), Teamsters Nevada, Hispanics in Politics (HIP), Nevada State AFL-CIO, Southern Nevada Building Trades Unions
For over a decade, my work in Clark County's Juvenile Division has focused on child safety, mental health, substance abuse, and effective responses to families in crisis - the same issues that come before Family Court every day. I also have a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, which gives me a unique understanding of trauma, attachment, and family dynamics alongside my legal training. I've helped implement specialty court programs for youth with developmental needs and young families in foster care, and co-authored legislation strengthening safeguards for children. That combination — extensive courtroom experience, mental health training, and hands-on work with the agencies and providers families rely on — is what I would bring to the bench.
Fairness starts with preparation — coming to each hearing ready, having reviewed the record, and giving every party a genuine chance to be heard. Impartiality means applying the law to the facts in front of me, without prejudging any party or issue, and explaining the reasoning behind my decisions so people understand how the outcome was reached. Public confidence follows from consistency: treating every family with respect and dignity and running an efficient, transparent courtroom. My training as a psychologist also shapes how I communicate, particularly with self-represented parties, because people have more trust in a process they can understand.
Nevada law directs courts to determine custody based on the best interest of the child, with domestic violence, caregiving history, and each parent's willingness to support the child's relationship with the other parent as factors that must be considered carefully. A finding that domestic violence has occurred creates a rebuttable presumption that directly impacts child custody. My role as a Judge would be to apply that framework thoughtfully to the facts of each case to reach safe and just conclusions, not weighing those factors in the abstract. My background in law and psychology also helps me evaluate that evidence carefully and consistently, with the goal of minimizing children’s exposure to conflict and helping families to heal.
Spousal support is governed by statute, and judges must weigh the specific facts and circumstances of each case — length of marriage, earning capacity, standard of living, and other statutory factors — rather than applying a fixed view. As with custody, judicial candidates can't commit to particular outcomes or discuss specific past cases ahead of taking the bench. What I can commit to is applying the law carefully and consistently to the evidence presented and clearly explaining the basis for each decision so both parties understand the reasoning.
