In April 2024, the Eighth Judicial District Court engaged the National Center for State Courts (“NCSC”) to conduct a comprehensive study of the probate court in Clark County, including an evaluation of case management practices, scheduling, and resource allocation; and,

In December, NCSC submitted its final report, recommending the addition of a second probate commissioner to increase the number of cases heard weekly, reduce the time between petition filings and hearings, and provide backup support for the current probate commissioner.

With the support of Clark County, the EJDC has hired Probate Commissioner Russel Geist to assist Commissioner James Fontano with implementing the final report recommendations, thereby improving case processing times and enhancing operational efficiency. All probate cases in the EJDC are now evenly split between the two probate commissioners. Probate calendars will be heard twice weekly, with Commissioner Geist presiding on Wednesdays and Commissioner Fontano presiding on Fridays, effective February 24, 2025.  Dates and times are subject to change.

Commissioner Fontano’s department shall be designated PC-1 and Commissioner Geist’s department shall be designated PC-2. All pleadings and other papers shall include in the caption the correct department number followed by the Probate Commissioner’s department number in parentheses.

The inbox for matters in department PC-1 shall be probateinbox@clarkcountycourts.us and the inbox for matters in department PC-2 shall be probate2inbox@clarkcountycourts.us. These department inboxes are to be used to submit documents for the court’s signature only. No other emails may be sent to department inboxes.

Counsel or a self-represented party obtaining any report and recommendation, order, judgment, or decree must furnish the form of the same to the email inbox of the assigned probate commissioner within 14 days after being notified of the court’s decision, unless additional time is allowed by the court. Except for matters submitted ex parte or pursuant to stipulated petition, no proposed report and recommendation or order shall be delivered to the probate commissioner prior to the hearing of any petition or motion set for hearing in Probate.

View Administrative Order 25-01 in at https://www.clarkcountycourts.us/res/rules-and-orders/2025-01-25_09_14_08_ao%2025-01.pdf