On Monday, January 3, 2022, the Second Judicial District Court announced that the Honorable Lynne K. Simons has assumed the role of chief judge for the court, following a unanimous election by her peers.
After her election in 2014, Judge Simons joined the Second Judicial District Court bench in January 2015. In November 2017, she was designated by Chief Judge Scott Freeman to serve as the district court’s vice chief, and she has served in that capacity for the last four years. She also currently serves as the specialty court liaison, a presiding business court judge, and an alternate judge for both Probate and Medically Assisted Treatment courts. During her tenure with the court, she has served on numerous committees within the Second Judicial District Court, as well as the State Court Statistics Committee, State Legislative Committee, and in various capacities with the Nevada District Judges Association. She is also the current Chair of the Nevada Board of Continuing Legal Education.
Judge Simons is a graduate of Reno High School, Stanford University (Bachelor of Arts – Sociology/ Organizational Behavior) and Pepperdine University School of Law (Juris Doctorate).
Prior to joining the Second Judicial District Court bench, Judge Simons had a successful legal career focusing on complex civil and probate/trust litigation. She practiced throughout state and federal courts in both Nevada and California, including the Nevada Supreme Court and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Between 2004 and 2007, Judge Simons served as the district court’s probate commissioner after appointment by Chief Justice James W. Hardesty, then chief judge of the Second Judicial District Court. Thereafter, she returned to private practice serving as a private mediator, receiver, and consultant/expert witness in probate and trust matters until was elected to serve in Department 6.