RICHARD SCOTTI Citing Dedication To Constitutional Values, The Honorable Richard Scotti (Fmr.) Is Running For Nevada Secretary Of State
Longtime Nevadan brings decades of experience as lawyer, business owner and judge to campaign
T
he Honorable Richard Scotti, former District Judge, was known as the “Constitution Judge.” He is running now for the position of Nevada Secretary of State. Scotti brings to the race his 30 years experience as a business lawyer, 10 years as a business owner, and 6 years as a District Judge. He started his career after graduating with high honors from the University of Southern California with degrees in political science and international relations, and graduating with high honors from Hastings College of the law in 1988. “With my decades of experience, combined with my passion to protect election integrity, to promote economic freedom, and to vigorously defend Constitutional values, I am confident I am eminently qualified to serve as Nevada’s next Secretary of State,” Scotti said. “I intend to do my utmost to serve the people of our state in this vital role.” Scotti, former District Court Judge for Department 2 of the Eighth Judicial District Court, has resided with his wife and two children in Nevada for more than 30 years. He has been a highly distinguished member of the state’s legal community since 1992. The national rating service Martindale-Hubbell has awarded Scotti “preeminent” status — the highest possible rating in legal ability and ethical standards. The American Bar Foundation has recognized Scotti as being in the top 1% of legal professionals. Prior to winning his election in 2014 as District Judge for a sixyear term, Scotti had been a part owner of a successful law firm practicing complex business, commercial, real estate, and construction litigation, and administrative law. He protected the people of Nevada by serving as a prosecutor, then general counsel, then administrative law judge for the Nevada State Contractors Board. He worked as a writer and editor for the “Ask-A-Lawyer” column in the Las Vegas Review Journal – providing common sense legal advice. Further, he represented the international contractor who built the Venetian Hotel Casino, and he was one of the lead attorneys on one of the longest civil jury trials in the history of Nevada.
The Nevada Supreme Court appointed Scotti to serve as a Settlement Judge for 10 years, where he helped reduce the appellate caseload; and as a Foreclosure Mediator during the Great Recession, where he helped Nevada citizens recover from the housing crisis. The lawyers in Nevada elected Scotti to two terms as a Governor of the State Bar of Nevada beginning in 2010, where he managed all aspects of the legal profession. In that capacity, Scotti also served as a liaison to the State Bar Committees on Publications; Audit; Personnel; Construction; and Energy, Utilities and Communications. As Bar Governor he promoted the expansion of the Veterans Treatment Court. Scotti has been passionate his entire career about improving the level of honesty and ethics in the legal profession. He led the way in marketing the Lawyer’s Pledge of Professionalism back in 1993. He volunteered his time as Regional Chair of the State Bar Fee Dispute Committee, helping to promote transparency and accountability in attorney billing. Scotti is especially proud of his work as Chairman of the State Civility Committee, where he worked with Attorney General Adam Laxalt in developing the new oath of professionalism for new attorneys. As a District Judge, Scotti tirelessly fought for the constitutional rights of all Nevadans. He protected the Las Vegas ReviewJournal’s First Amendment rights to prompt access to Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department records of the Oct. 1, 2017 mass shooting. He protected the right to privacy of the family of the off-duty officer killed at the same mass shooting – and earned the endorsement of nearly 100 law enforcement agencies within the State. In the 2016 general election, Scotti was appointed to a special Judicial Election Team to handle emergency petitions. During the culmination of his judicial term, Scotti upheld the fundamental doctrine of separation of powers in a ruling that reminded the Nevada Legislature that one cannot be both a lawmaker and law enforcer. He always carries a pocket Constitution and is not shy
VEGASLEGALMAGAZINE.COM | 35
