Cotter C. Conway is the most experienced and qualified candidate.
Figuring out who to vote for in an election is usually fairly easy. Look at the candidates’ platforms, research them, and try to discover whether their values reflect your own.
But a judicial race is different from other political races. Judicial candidates do not commit to policy positions or say how they will rule in particular kinds of controversies. In fact, the Code of Judicial Conduct prohibits a judicial candidate from saying how they will rule in any future case—and rightfully so. Judges don’t make the law, they apply it. A judge’s job is to uphold the Constitutions and laws of the United States and the State of Nevada. The job calls for a neutral application of the law to the facts of a particular case.
Most individuals rarely, if ever, stand before a judge for a criminal or civil matter. When one is likely never exposed to a judge and the race doesn’t depend on policy or politics, it’s tough to know which judicial candidate is the right candidate for the job.
The choice centers on the candidate’s reputation, qualifications, legal ability, and experience. I have those in spades.
I’m seeking election as your next Reno Justice of the Peace in Department 2 because I have the qualifications, skills, and experience to excel in this judicial position. I’ve practiced law in Nevada for 30 years. I served in the Washoe County Public Defender System for nearly 15 years and litigated matters ranging from misdemeanors to death penalty cases. In 2007, I was selected as one of the first attorneys to staff the newly created Alternate Public Defender’s Office and in 2010 made the leap to private practice.
More importantly, I’m the only candidate with judicial experience. I’ve served as a Judge Pro Tem in Sparks Municipal Court, Sparks Justice Court, Reno Justice Court and Incline Justice Court over the last 4 to 5 years. That experience led to my appointment in January as the Court Referee in Reno Justice Court, a newly created position that handles misdemeanor traffic citations and small claims matters. All together, that judicial experience has given me insight one can only receive by doing the job and sitting on the bench.
I’m also the only candidate with experience in specialty courts. I have worked in the Co-Occurring Disorder Court in Reno Municipal Court for the last eight years. I work with participants that struggle with mental health issues often caused by trauma and a co-occurring substance abuse issue. The modern judge needs to be trauma-informed in his approach to sentencings. It is important that a judge seeks an opportunity to address the underlying causes of a misdemeanor offense with the goal of reducing recidivism.
To help further the legal profession, I served as the president of the Washoe County Bar Association. Additionally, I served on the Mandatory Status Conference Committee in Reno Justice Court to set policy regarding handling preliminary hearings and subpoenaing witnesses. The efforts of this Committee resulted in a significant reduction in costs for the County.
The ability to choose our elected officials based on their qualifications and experience is one of our nation’s greatest gifts and I encourage your questions about my qualifications, experience and approach to the bench. My cell number is (775) 530-2412 for calls or texts. You can also email me at [email protected] or read more at ConwayforJudge.com. I would appreciate your vote in the upcoming primary on June 14, 2022.
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