Clark County District Judge Jacqueline Bluth announced Thursday she will leave the bench on Jan. 5 to work as a mediator for Advanced Resolution Management. Appointed by Gov. Steve Sisolak in 2019, Bluth has presided over high-profile homicide cases, including the sentencing of Jesus Ayala and Jzamir Keys for the 2023 killing of retired police chief Andreas Probst.
Bluth, 44, began her career at the Regional Justice Center as a 25-year-old intern and later worked as a prosecutor before taking the bench. She said the decision to leave was difficult but that she views mediation as another way to pursue justice, noting that people in litigation often just want to be heard and that mediation offers finality that court cases sometimes lack.
The judge said she hesitated when first approached by the mediation firm's owner but was influenced by the memory of former judge and mediator Jackie Glass, who died in August. Bluth said Glass often spoke about living your best life, prompting her to evaluate her own work-life balance. At a family meeting, her oldest son encouraged her to take the job that would give her the most time with family.
Bluth received an 88 percent retention score in the Las Vegas Review-Journal's 2025 Judicial Performance Evaluation, one of the highest for District Court. Known for detailed statements at sentencings, she recently resentenced Samuel Howard to life without parole in a 1980 murder case, acknowledging his trauma and reform but stating she could not take away the last sliver of justice for the victim's family.
The Nevada Commission on Judicial Selection will fill the vacancy; applications are due Nov. 18. Bluth emphasized she is not filling Glass's specific role at the company.
Sources: Las Vegas Review-Journal
Original reporting: Las Vegas Review-Journal →
English (US)·