Gov. Joe Lombardo announced Wednesday that he was appointing a prosecutor to the Clark County District Court seat formally occupied by a controversial judge.
Colleen Brown, who is already running unopposed, will begin her appointment to Department 24 on June 29, according to a news release from the governor’s office.
A longtime prosecutor, Brown oversees the major fraud and elder abuse unit in the Clark County district attorney’s office.
“Colleen Brown has built a distinguished legal career rooted in public service, leadership, and courtroom advocacy,” Lombardo said in the release. “Her extensive experience across multiple divisions has provided her with a comprehensive understanding of Nevada’s criminal justice system at both the trial and appellate levels, and I am confident in her ability to serve effectively in this judicial seat.”
District Judge Erika Ballou resigned from the seat in May, clearing the way for the appointment.
Ballou was suspended without pay for six months in September.
The punishment stemmed from a case in which she was accused of defying the Nevada Supreme Court by releasing a prisoner and not ordering the prisoner to be taken back into custody when the high court reversed her decision on appeal.
Contact Noble Brigham at nbrigham@reviewjournal.com.
