Seal of the State of Nevada

WHEREAS, Justice James W. Hardesty served with honor and distinction in the State of Nevada Judiciary for twenty-four years as a District Court Judge and Chief Judge for the Second Judicial District and as a Justice of the Supreme Court; and

WHEREAS, during his tenure as Chief District Judge, Justice Hardesty implemented various programs and processes to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the Second Judicial District, including early case resolution in criminal matters, an expanded and strengthened drug diversion court and other specialty courts; re-invigoration of bench/bar committees, promulgation of strong Chief Judge rules, and creation of a cohesive court structure through workload assessments and cross-jurisdictional assignments; and

WHEREAS, Justice Hardesty was elected to the Supreme Court and was re-elected to the Court without opposition in 2010 and 2016. He served as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in 2009, 2015, and 2021. Justice Hardesty championed the Supreme Court's effort in 2014 to amend the Nevada Constitution to create a Court of Appeals, which the voters approved in the November election. The Court of Appeals began hearing cases on January 5, 2015. Thereafter, through Justice Hardesty's tireless effort, enthusiasm, and dedication, a new Supreme Court and Court of Appeals Courthouse was built in Las Vegas. The Las Vegas Courthouse opened in March 2017. Since its inception, the Court of Appeals has significantly contributed to reducing the Supreme Court's caseload, providing better access to justice for Nevada citizens; and

WHEREAS, Justice Hardesty served on numerous Supreme Court Commissions as a District Judge and a Supreme Court Justice, including the Task Force to create a Business Court in Nevada; the Task Force studying the Multi-Jurisdictional Practice of Law; the Commission on Judicial Funding; the Committee to Implement Recommendations of the Jury Improvement Commission; the Commission on Statewide Juvenile Justice Reform; the Bench-Bar Committee, the Access to Justice Commission, the Permanent Guardianship Commission, the Committee to Study Evidence-Based Pretrial Release, the Commission on Statewide Rules of Criminal Procedure; the Commission on Preservation, Access, and Sealing of Court Records, the Commission to Study the Adjudication of Water Law Cases, and the Commission to Study Best Practices for Virtual Advocacy in Nevada's Courts; and

WHEREAS, Justice Hardesty also served as chair of the Nevada Legislature's Advisory Commission on the Administration of Justice and the Nevada Sentencing Commission. He is a past member of the Nevada State-Federal Judicial Council, serving as chairman from 2009 to 2011 and 2014 to 2016; and

WHEREAS, Justice Hardesty's extraordinary service and steadfast dedication to the Supreme Court, the Nevada Judiciary, and the citizens of Nevada are deeply appreciated;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOE LOMBARDO, GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, do hereby proclaim March 20, 2023 as a day in honor of

JUSTICE JAMES W. HARDESTY

Footer State Seal

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of Nevada to be affixed at the State Capitol in Carson City, this 16th day of March 2023

GovLombardoSOS-GabrielDiChiara