Jason Earnest details campaign for Fifth Judicial District Court judge, Department 2
Jason Earnest is running for Fifth Judicial District Court judge, Department 2, this year.
“I truly have never ran for anything in my life, not even student council,” Earnest told the Pahrump Valley Times. “It’s been quite an education, it’s been wonderful reconnecting with friends that I haven’t talked to in a while, meeting new friends, and it’s been quite a learning experience, I’ve really enjoyed it.”
Earnest is an attorney at his own practice but he also serves as a public defender, primarily working in Tonopah, Beatty and Esmeralda County, while occasionally being appointed in southern Nye County as well.
“It sounds cliché, but it’s not, it’s an opportunity to give back,” Earnest said. “Of course I’ll get a salary and I’ll get paid, but I have the wisdom. I’ve learned all these things being a lawyer and seeing the heartbeat of this district, I can apply that from the bench.”
Earnest practiced law in Colorado before moving to Las Vegas and conducted his first jury trial in Tonopah in November of 1999. Earnest then took a public defender contract in 2000 and moved to Pahrump from Las Vegas in 2006.
“Doing the things I’ve done in the trenches, meeting these families and understanding the real issues and stuff gives me a perspective that many people don’t have; I think it’s just going to just make me wiser and better as a judge,” Earnest elaborated.
Throughout his over 20-year career in rural Nevada, Earnest has practiced in different areas of law, including family, insurance defense, probate, plaintiff work and real estate.
“I’ve had my hand in a lot of things, and as I get older, I’ve really streamlined it to just criminal defense and personal injury,” Earnest said. “But when you’ve got a young family and you’ve got to make a living and you live in a rural community, you kind of have to wear many hats, so I wore many hats for the first 15 to 18 years I was out here.”
When discussing his bid for the district court seat, the judicial hopeful emphasized a focus on hard work and efficiency.
“Fundamentally, I’m going to work more, the wheels of justice move slowly, but they move too slowly right now,” Earnest explained.
For more information about Jason Earnest’s bid for district court judge, Department 2, visit jasonearnestforjudge.com.
Contact reporter Elijah Dulay at edulay@pvtimes.com
