Judge Robert Lane seeks reelection to district court seat

Incumbent Fifth Judicial District Court, Department 2 Judge Robert Lane is seeking reelection this year.

“Every time I make a decision, it’s, ‘What’s the right thing to do to help this person?’” Lane told the Pahrump Valley Times. “That gives me good feelings, and I enjoy having a job where I get to help so many people.”

Lane was elected as a judge in 2000, becoming the first person to serve in the then-new Fifth Judicial District Court seat in Pahrump.

“There was nobody, no incumbent,” Lane recalled. “Nobody had a seat. So I decided I was going to run for it.”

Lane has been subsequently reelected since then, now serving as the Department 2 judge for over 25 years.

“I do criminal, civil, family, juvenile, probate, DCFS law, and appellate work, and I started the drug court in 2002,” Lane elaborated.

Before stepping into the black robes, Lane joined the Navy for six and a half years after high school, working in submarines on isolated duty. Lane then attended the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. During his time there, he worked full time for then-U.S. Senator Chic Hecht. Lane also was chairman of the Clark County Young Republicans, UNLV Elections Board chairman and a weekly writer for the UNLV school newspaper.

“I overloaded each semester, because I was older than the average college student, so I graduated in two years with honors,” Lane explained.

After graduating from UNLV, Lane went to law school at the University of Utah. Lane completed law school, returned to Las Vegas and briefly worked in private practice before moving to Nye County, where he was hired as deputy district attorney in Tonopah.

“I mainly did criminal, but I did do some civil,” Lane said about his seven years as deputy district attorney.

When asked about his most important judicial principles, the judge said he’s fast, fair and friendly.

“I like helping people, and everybody who comes into my court or talks to me out in public can tell that I enjoy helping people and being the judge,” Lane explained.

For more information about Robert Lane’s reelection campaign, visit judge-lane.com.

Contact reporter Elijah Dulay at edulay@pvtimes.com