Voters will fill a large share of the Eighth Judicial District bench this year, including several contested Family Court departments in Las Vegas. Here is what those races mean for families with a custody, divorce, or support case.
Most people only think about who sits on the family court bench after a case lands in front of a judge. In 2026, Clark County voters have an unusual amount of say. Roughly a third of the state's district court judgeships are on the ballot, and several Las Vegas Family Court departments have contested races that could change who decides custody, divorce, and support matters for years to come.
Statewide, voters will weigh in on about thirty one percent of Nevada's district court judgeships in the November 2026 general election. In Clark County alone, roughly twenty of the county's fifty eight district court seats are contested, and several seats will get new judges because the sitting judge chose not to run again. Family Court is part of that larger Eighth Judicial District Court, so a number of these races directly affect the courtrooms that handle divorce, custody, and support.
Several Family Court departments drew challengers this cycle. Department D features prosecutor Gwynneth Smith and attorney Patricia Marr. Department N pairs sitting Judge Kerri Maxey against attorney Paul Michel Gaudet. Department S opened up after the incumbent decided not to seek another term, drawing hearing master Randall Forman and attorneys Tanner Harris and Kristine Brewer. Departments E, P, R, and Z also feature contested races. Because judges are assigned to cases by rotation, the outcome of any one race can shape how a future divorce or custody case is handled.
Family Court judges make decisions that reach into the most personal corners of a family's life. They set parenting schedules, decide legal and physical custody, divide community property, and order or modify spousal and child support. In Clark County, a very large share of family court litigants, by some estimates around eighty five percent, appear without a lawyer. That makes the temperament, experience, and consistency of the judge especially important, because an unrepresented parent has little buffer against a ruling that misreads the facts or the law.
One closely watched contest is Department R, where a three term incumbent who has held the seat since 2008 faces two challengers, Marilyn Caston and Nick Petsas. Reporting on the race notes that nearly half of the appeals from the incumbent's rulings have resulted in reversals, and an attorney survey gave him a retention score near the middle. Whatever the final result, the race is a useful reminder that family court outcomes are not always final. If a ruling rests on a clear legal error, a parent may have grounds for an appeal or a request to revisit the decision.
You cannot pick your judge, and you should be wary of anyone who promises a specific outcome based on a particular department. What you can control is the quality of your preparation. Organized financial records, a realistic parenting proposal, and clear, documented requests carry weight in front of any judge. When circumstances change after a ruling, Nevada law allows you to ask the court to modify an existing order, and many disputes can be resolved through mediation before they ever reach a contested hearing.
The 2026 races are a good prompt to pay attention to the court system that may one day decide your family's future. Knowing how Family Court works, and walking in prepared, matters far more to most families than the name on the courtroom door. If you are facing a custody, divorce, or support issue in Clark County, our team can help you understand your options and present your case clearly. Call Helping Hand Family and Divorce Attorneys at (702) 605-6347 for a free confidential consultation, or reach out here.
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No. Cases are assigned to a department through the court's rotation rather than chosen by the parties. You can, however, prepare thoroughly and, in limited situations, ask to disqualify a judge for cause. An attorney can explain whether that applies to your case.
Family Court judges in the Eighth Judicial District handle divorce, legal and physical custody, parenting time, child support, spousal support, and related matters such as guardianship and protective orders. Their rulings set the framework your family must follow until the order is modified.
Often, yes. Many final family court decisions can be appealed to the Nevada Court of Appeals or Supreme Court, usually within a strict deadline. Appeals focus on legal errors rather than re-arguing the facts, so it is wise to speak with a lawyer quickly.
Nevada held its primary earlier in 2026, and the general election is in November 2026. Contested district and family court races, including several Clark County Family Court departments, will be decided then.