Douglas Herndon at a glance
- Current role
- Chief Justice
- Court
- Nevada Supreme Court
- Jurisdiction
- Nevada · State
- Judicial service
- Active
- Term and retention
- Current term ends January 4, 2027
Douglas Herndon
Chief Justice · Nevada Supreme Court
Biography
Professional career
- Douglas Wade Herndon is an American judge and the Chief Justice of the Nevada Supreme Court since January 6, 2025, after being elected to the court in 2020 and serving as an associate justice from 2021
- 2021–present: Justice, Seat D, Nevada Supreme Court
- 2005–2021: Judge, 8th Judicial District Court (Department 3), appointed by Governor Kenny Guinn
Education
- Washington and Lee University School of Law — J.D. (1990)
- Texas A&M University — B.S. (1986)
Additional information
- Chief Judge of the Homicide Case Team (2017–2020)
- Herndon was widely recognized for judicial performance, receiving the Light and Wisdom Diamond Award for Judicial Excellence in 2019 and multiple community service honors
- Born 1964.
- Herndon’s career includes a notable prosecutorial misconduct case: as a prosecutor, he concealed exculpatory evidence in the Fred Steese murder trial of trapeze artist Gerard Soules.
- Before entering the judiciary, he spent 14 years in the Clark County District Attorney’s Office, including nine years as Chief Deputy District Attorney of the Special Victims Unit, prosecuting cases involving child homicide, sexual abuse, and domestic violence
- Beyond the bench, Herndon has served on multiple statewide commissions, including the Administration of Justice Commission and Indigent Defense Commission, and has been active with the Rape Crisis Center for over two decades.
- He also mentors students through mock trial programs and continues to lecture on criminal law and trial advocacy Nevada Judiciary
Applicable Court Rules & Procedures
Recording and broadcasting
Statewide
Nevada prohibits using cameras, cellular phones, or other electronic devices to photograph or record courtroom proceedings unless the judge expressly permits it.
the use of cameras, cellular phones or other electronic devices to photograph or record courtroom proceedings without the express permission of the judge is prohibitedNevada Rules on Electronic Coverage of Court Proceedings ↗
Advance Media Request
Statewide
Nevada news reporters seeking electronic courtroom coverage must file a written request with the judge at least 24 hours before the proceeding, subject to judicial discretion.
News reporters desiring permission to provide electronic coverage of a proceeding in the courtroom shall file a written request with the judge at least 24 hours before the proceeding commencesNevada Rules on Electronic Coverage of Court Proceedings ↗
Published courtroom rules
Shared court rules
Nevada Rules on Electronic Coverage of Court Proceedings
Nevada Supreme Court
Scope is limited to the court class in the source claim. Shared court context only; case-type restrictions, exceptions, later amendments and case orders apply. This is not a personal preference or a complete rules inventory.
Official source ↗ · Collected 2026-07-26Sources
Identity source checked August 22, 2026.
Biography sources checked August 22, 2026.
Nevada Judiciary official judicial roster
Identity source · HTML · Source checked August 22, 2026
View Nevada Judiciary official judicial roster ↗Nevada Rules on Electronic Coverage of Court Proceedings
Statewide source · PDF · Source checked July 26, 2026
View Nevada Rules on Electronic Coverage of Court Proceedings ↗