LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Eighth Judicial District Court Judge Valerie Adair has died, the Clark County court system has confirmed.
Adair served on the court from 2002 until the time of her death.
She grew up in Las Vegas graduating as Valedictorian of Clark High School in 1981.
She then obtained her bachelor of arts degree from Harvard University and her Juris Doctorate, magna cum laude, from Georgetown University Law Center where she served as editor of the law review.
She first practiced civil litigation in Los Angeles, California but found that she wanted to return to Las Vegas, where she began working in the criminal division in the District Attorney’s office in 1990. After several years in the criminal division, Valerie was made Chief Deputy District Attorney of the Fraud Unit, where she specialized in prosecuting complex white-collar fraud and the financial exploitation of the elderly.
She has served on various task forces and committees relating to the legal representation of the elderly, the abuse and exploitation of the elderly, and high-tech crimes. She was elected to the District Court bench in November 2002.
Chief Judge Linda Marie Bell released the following statement:
"I am extremely saddened at the news that Judge Valerie Adair passed away. Judge Adair served on the District Court bench from January of 2003 until she retired in January of this year. Prior to that, she had a distinguished career with the Clark County District Attorneys Office. She was brilliant, an amazing jurist, and far too young. She will be missed."
