REVIEW-JOURNAL ENDORSEMENT: District Court Department 1
In Department 1, Jacob Villani and Bita Yeager are vying to replace Judge Ken Cory, who is retiring. Ms. Yeager is a former public defender who was appointed to the bench in Las Vegas Justice Court in 2015 but lost her election bid a year later. She now serves as a District Court hearing master. Mr. Villani, a graduate of UNLV’s Boyd School of Law, is a chief deputy district attorney for Clark County.
Mr. Villani is running more of a “tough on crime” candidacy and vows to hold wrongdoers accountable. “Some people need to be punished for their crimes,” he says, adding that “victims matter” and that he would be a “victim-focused” judge. Ms. Yeager stresses her 25 years as an attorney and her vow to implement “community-minded” justice and “to solve problems for real people” while promoting “equal access to justice.” She touts her judicial temperament and commitment to fairness.
Both candidates are eminently qualified for the position, but we would give Bita Yeager a slight edge in thanks to her breadth of her experience.