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About

Honorable James W. Hardesty, Ret.

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The Honorable James W. Hardesty, was elected to the Nevada Supreme Court in November 2004 and was re-elected to the Court without opposition in 2010 and 2016.  He served as Chief Justice in 2009, 2015, 2021, and concluded his
24-year judicial career as Chief Justice in 2022. In 1998 he was elected to serve as a District Court Judge for the Second Judicial District Court of Washoe County, Nevada and served as Chief Judge of the District Court from 2001 to 2004.  In 2003, he was elected to serve as the President of the Nevada District Judges Association. Former Chief Justice Hardesty obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting from the University of Nevada, Reno in 1970 and a Juris Doctorate Law Degree in 1975 from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law.  He was admitted to the practice of law in Nevada in 1975.    

Judicial

Pre-Judicial Employment

Education

2005-2022

Justice, Nevada Supreme Court

Served as Chief Justice of the Nevada Supreme Court, 2009, 2015, 2021 and concluded his career as Chief Justice in December of 2022

2009-2023

National Judicial Offices

Treasurer, American Judges Association 2020-2023

 

Second Vice-President and Board of Directors of the Conference of Chief Justices 2015-2016

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Chairperson of the Nevada State-Federal Judicial Council 2009-2011 and 2014-2016

2007-2022

Nevada Supreme Court Commissions

Supreme Court Executive Committee 2007-2010, 2014-2016, and 2019-2022

 

Co-Chairperson of the Access to Justice Commission 2007-2022 

 

Co-Chairperson of the Bench-Bar Committee
2007-2022

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Co-Chairperson of the Juvenile Justice Reform Commission 2010-2014

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Chairperson of the Guardianship Reform Commission and the Committee to Study Evidence-Based Pretrial Release 2011-2018

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Chaired Commission on Statewide Rules of Criminal Procedure 2016-2020

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Co-Chaired the Commission to Study Best Practices for Virtual Advocacy in Nevada's Courts; Co-Chaired the Commission to Study the Adjudication of Water Law Cases 2021-2022

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Chaired the Commission to Study Reforms to Nevada's Arbitration and Short Trial Rules 2021-2022

2010-2021

Legislatively Created Commissions

Chaired the Advisory Commission on the Administration of Justice 2010-2014

 

Chaired the Nevada Sentencing Commission
2017-2021

1999-2004

Judge, Second Judicial District Court

Served as Chief Judge of the District Court 2002-2004

 

Served as President of the Nevada District Judges Association 2003 

1994-1998

James W. Hardesty, Attorney at Law

1989-1994

Anderson, Pearl, Hardesty, Lyle and Murphy, Attorneys at Law

1985-1988 

James W. Hardesty, Attorney at Law

1979-1984

Breen, Young, Whitehead, Belding and Hardesty, Attorneys at Law

1975-1978

James W. Hardesty, Attorney at Law  

1970-1971

Semenza, Kottinger and McMullen, Certified Public Accountants

1971-1975

University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law

Juris Doctorate Degree

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Treasurer, Student Bar Association 1974-1975

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1966-1970

University of Nevada, Reno

Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting 1970

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Student Body President, Associated Students of University of Nevada 1969-1970

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Outstanding Senior Graduate, 1970

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