A hearing officer and an attorney are competing for a seat on the Las Vegas District Court in Division 8.

Raised by parents heavily involved in labor unions, attorney Nancy Bernstein has more than 15 years of experience in private practice as a criminal defense attorney and as a civil litigator. She says she believes in the legal system, but thinks the court system is streamlined.

“We have to hurry up and get used to the fact that we are a big city now,” Bernstein said.

Master Amy Ferreira, who advocates against animal cruelty, wants to be a voice for those who cannot speak for themselves.

She said she believes the current system is too burdensome for citizens who spend too long in court.

“Our courts should work for the people they serve and not against them,” Ferreira said.

Both candidates believe that the court is experiencing unnecessary delays. Bernstein said she believes judges cannot spend as much time on a case if they hold court in the morning. “The files are really just overcrowded, and that doesn’t make sense if you have a lot of time left,” Bernstein said.

Ferreira emphasized that continuations often mean that witnesses can remain in the courtroom for too long. “Why do we let our regular, everyday community member sit in the courtroom for four hours for no reason?” said Ferreira, who believes increasing virtual options and vetting continuation requests could speed things up.

Both candidates have experience with traffic violations: Bernstein as a private lawyer and Ferreira as a hearing officer. The Las Vegas District Court has a program that allows people with traffic tickets to pay fees and receive points off their license. Some traffic experts are concerned about this.

“I understand both sides,” Bernstein said. But she said she thinks the court system is working well.

Ferreira believes this is something that needs to be looked at more because the more money someone has, the easier it is for them to ‘buy a parking ticket’.

Ferreira said her experience as a hearing care professional means she knows how to do her job, and being recognized as the court’s 2022 Employee of the Year proves she is doing something right.

Bernstein, whose ex-husband Dennis Prince was shot and killed in his Summerlin law office in April, said she understands what it feels like to be affected by violent crimes.

“The most important thing I would want from a judge is to be present,” she said.

Contact Estelle Atkinson at [email protected]. Follow @estellelilym on X and @estelleatkinsonreports on Instagram.