In an historic moment for Nevada, Governor Joe Lombardo appointed Tina Talim, the first South Asian person to hold a judicial position in the state of Nevada, to Department 14 of the Eighth Judicial District Court. Talim, who currently serves as the Team Chief of the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Unit in the Clark County District Attorney’s Office, immigrated to the United States from India as a young child.  

“I am grateful to Governor Lombardo for this appointment and deeply honored to serve as a judge in the Eighth Judicial District Court,” said Judge Talim. “This appointment is not only a personal milestone, but it serves as a testament to the broadening representation within our judicial system. I look forward to serving our community from the bench.”

After graduating from the University of California, Los Angeles, Judge Talim earned a juris doctorate from Pepperdine Caruso School of Law. Judge Talim began her career in civil litigation then spent nearly two decades representing the state of Nevada as a prosecutor, where she leads the prosecution of all fentanyl overdose death cases. In 2023, Judge Talim was appointed the first director of Diversity and Community Outreach in the history of the Clark County District Attorney’s Office, helping to bridge the gap between the District Attorney’s Office and historically underrepresented minorities.

“We welcome newly appointed Judge Talim to the Eighth Judicial District Court bench,” said Chief Judge Jerry Wiese. “She plans to take the bench next week, and I anticipate with her wealth of experience that she will have an immediate impact at our very busy court.”

The Nevada Commission on Judicial Selection interviews applicants for judicial vacancies. The nominees are then forwarded to Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo for his selection. The Governor has 30 days from the date of receipt of the applicant names to make an appointment.

To be eligible to apply for a seat on the Eighth Judicial District Court bench, applicants must be Nevada attorney in good standing with 10 years of legal experience, two years of Nevada legal practice and residency, and be at least 25 years old.

To serve the entirety of the term, an appointed judge is required to file as a candidate in the November general election. The current term for all district court judges in Nevada expires January 4, 2027. The seat became vacant when Judge Adrianna Escobar retired.