Most appellate cases
Nevada attorneys ranked by how many Supreme Court of Nevada, Court of Appeals of Nevada and U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit cases they handled that were decided in 2021, with how those cases came out. This measures experience on the record, not quality.
| # | Attorney | Cases | Years | Results (won / mixed / lost) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dr. Aaron D. FordActiveNevada Office of Attorney General | 914 | 2021 | 91% won of 698 decided cases Won 635Mixed 24Lost 39 |
| 2 | Alexander G. ChenActiveClark County DA's Office | 517 | 2021 | 93% won of 406 decided cases Won 376Mixed 8Lost 22 |
| 3 | Jennifer P. NobleActiveWashoe Co. DA's Office | 133 | 2021 | 88% won of 99 decided cases Won 87Mixed 4Lost 8 |
| 4 | Ariel E. SternActive | 62 | 2021 | 89% won of 38 decided cases Won 34Mixed 2Lost 2 |
| 5 | John Thomas AfsharActiveClark County DA's Office | 58 | 2021 | 90% won of 51 decided cases Won 46Mixed 1Lost 4 |
| 6 | Melanie D. MorganActiveAtlas Solomon LLP | 46 | 2021 | 97% won of 29 decided cases Won 28Mixed 0Lost 1 |
| 7 | Taleen R Pandukht EsqActive | 45 | 2021 | 88% won of 43 decided cases Won 38Mixed 0Lost 5 |
| 8 | Karen Lynn MishlerActiveClark County District Attorney | 41 | 2021 | 92% won of 38 decided cases Won 35Mixed 0Lost 3 |
| 9 | Jonathan VanBoskerckActive | 41 | 2021 | 85% won of 40 decided cases Won 34Mixed 2Lost 4 |
| 10 | Joseph Y. HongActiveHong & Hong, APLC | 38 | 2021 | 13% won of 30 decided cases Won 4Mixed 0Lost 26 |
| 11 | Steven Bryan WolfsonExempt ActiveClark County DA's Office | 38 | 2021 | 70% won of 27 decided cases Won 19Mixed 1Lost 7 |
| 12 | Kevin P. NaughtonActiveWashoe County DA's Office | 32 | 2021 | 83% won of 30 decided cases Won 25Mixed 3Lost 2 |
| 13 | Rene Louis ValladaresActiveFederal Public Defender's Office | 31 | 2021 | 4% won of 23 decided cases Won 1Mixed 1Lost 21 |
| 14 | John Reese PettyExempt Inactive | 28 | 2021 | 20% won of 20 decided cases Won 4Mixed 3Lost 13 |
| 15 | Marilee CateActiveWashoe County DAs Office | 25 | 2021 | 83% won of 23 decided cases Won 19Mixed 1Lost 3 |
| 16 | Roger P. CroteauActiveRoger P. Croteau & Associates, Ltd | 25 | 2021 | 21% won of 19 decided cases Won 4Mixed 0Lost 15 |
| 17 | Daniel F. PolsenbergActiveWomble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP | 25 | 2021 | 19% won of 16 decided cases Won 3Mixed 3Lost 10 |
| 18 | Abraham G. SmithActiveHolland & Hart LLP | 23 | 2021 | 19% won of 16 decided cases Won 3Mixed 2Lost 11 |
| 19 | Donna M. WittigActiveSparrow Financial, Inc. | 23 | 2021 | 100% won of 14 decided cases Won 14Mixed 0Lost 0 |
| 20 | Christopher R. ArabiaActiveCity of Ely | 22 | 2021 | 79% won of 19 decided cases Won 15Mixed 3Lost 1 |
| 21 | Tyler J. IngramActiveElko County District Attorney | 20 | 2021 | 94% won of 17 decided cases Won 16Mixed 0Lost 1 |
| 22 | Kirk Darren VittoActivePahrump Justice Court | 20 | 2021 | 78% won of 18 decided cases Won 14Mixed 3Lost 1 |
| 23 | Michael K. WallDeceased | 20 | 2021 | 50% won of 14 decided cases Won 7Mixed 1Lost 6 |
| 24 | Joel D. HenriodActiveHenriod Stern PLLC | 19 | 2021 | 17% won of 12 decided cases Won 2Mixed 2Lost 8 |
| 25 | Scott R. LachmanActiveAkerman LLP | 19 | 2021 | 93% won of 14 decided cases Won 13Mixed 0Lost 1 |
| 26 | Geordan M. GoebelActive | 18 | 2021 | 100% won of 13 decided cases Won 13Mixed 0Lost 0 |
| 27 | Frank A. Toddre IIActiveCozen O'Connor | 18 | 2021 | 100% won of 7 decided cases Won 7Mixed 0Lost 0 |
| 28 | Karla Kay ButkoActiveKarla K. Butko, Ltd. | 17 | 2021 | 7% won of 14 decided cases Won 1Mixed 1Lost 12 |
| 29 | Micah S. EcholsActiveClaggett and Sykes Law Firm | 17 | 2021 | 27% won of 11 decided cases Won 3Mixed 2Lost 6 |
| 30 | Sean L. AndersonActiveWilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker LLP | 16 | 2021 | 92% won of 13 decided cases Won 12Mixed 1Lost 0 |
| 31 | Natalie Lynn WinslowActiveAtlas Solomon LLP | 16 | 2021 | 73% won of 11 decided cases Won 8Mixed 2Lost 1 |
| 32 | Diana Samalaulu ClineActiveCline Legal Solutions LLC | 15 | 2021 | 0% won of 4 decided cases Won 0Mixed 0Lost 4 |
| 33 | Karen L. HanksActiveHanks Law Group | 15 | 2021 | 20% won of 5 decided cases Won 1Mixed 0Lost 4 |
| 34 | Jordan T. SmithActiveBrownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck LLP | 15 | 2021 | 57% won of 7 decided cases Won 4Mixed 1Lost 2 |
| 35 | Lilith Vala XaraActiveLitchfield Cavo, LLP | 15 | 2021 | 100% won of 9 decided cases Won 9Mixed 0Lost 0 |
| 36 | Kelly H. DoveActiveSnell & Wilmer | 14 | 2021 | 82% won of 11 decided cases Won 9Mixed 1Lost 1 |
| 37 | Kerry P. FaughnanActive | 14 | 2021 | 9% won of 11 decided cases Won 1Mixed 0Lost 10 |
| 38 | Jacqueline A. GilbertExempt Inactive | 14 | 2021 | 0% won of 4 decided cases Won 0Mixed 0Lost 4 |
| 39 | Christopher L. BennerActivePyatt & Silvestri | 13 | 2021 | 0% won of 7 decided cases Won 0Mixed 0Lost 7 |
| 40 | Mark B. JacksonActiveDouglas County DA | 13 | 2021 | 90% won of 10 decided cases Won 9Mixed 0Lost 1 |
| 41 | Jamie K. CombsActiveKlinedinst PC | 12 | 2021 | 71% won of 7 decided cases Won 5Mixed 1Lost 1 |
| 42 | Victoria T. OldenburgActiveVictoria Oldenburg, Esq. | 12 | 2021 | 10% won of 10 decided cases Won 1Mixed 0Lost 9 |
| 43 | James J. PisanelliActivePisanelli Bice PLLC | 12 | 2021 | 83% won of 6 decided cases Won 5Mixed 1Lost 0 |
| 44 | Stephen B. RyeActiveLyon County District Attorney's Office | 12 | 2021 | 100% won of 10 decided cases Won 10Mixed 0Lost 0 |
| 45 | Judge Jason D. WoodburyActiveFirst Judicial District Court | 12 | 2021 | 91% won of 11 decided cases Won 10Mixed 0Lost 1 |
| 46 | Andrew A. BaoActiveAndrew Bao & Associates | 11 | 2021 | 88% won of 8 decided cases Won 7Mixed 0Lost 1 |
| 47 | David H. Neely IIIActive | 11 | 2021 | 0% won of 9 decided cases Won 0Mixed 3Lost 6 |
| 48 | Christopher R. OramActive | 11 | 2021 | 10% won of 10 decided cases Won 1Mixed 1Lost 8 |
| 49 | Debra L. SpinelliActivePisanelli Bice PLLC | 11 | 2021 | 100% won of 4 decided cases Won 4Mixed 0Lost 0 |
| 50 | Michael J. BongardActiveOffice of the Attorney General | 10 | 2021 | 100% won of 10 decided cases Won 10Mixed 0Lost 0 |
| 51 | Howard S. BrooksInactiveLaw Office of Howard Brooks | 10 | 2021 | 50% won of 8 decided cases Won 4Mixed 0Lost 4 |
| 52 | Robert L. EisenbergExempt ActiveLemons, Grundy & Eisenberg | 10 | 2021 | 50% won of 6 decided cases Won 3Mixed 1Lost 2 |
| 53 | Joseph P. GarinActiveGarin Law Group | 10 | 2021 | 71% won of 7 decided cases Won 5Mixed 0Lost 2 |
| 54 | Allison L. HerrActiveCannabis Compliance Board | 10 | 2021 | 80% won of 5 decided cases Won 4Mixed 1Lost 0 |
| 55 | Katrina Ann LopezActiveOffice of the Nevada Attorney General | 10 | 2021 | 100% won of 7 decided cases Won 7Mixed 0Lost 0 |
| 56 | Michael MacdonaldActiveLander County DA's Office | 10 | 2021 | 89% won of 9 decided cases Won 8Mixed 1Lost 0 |
| 57 | JoNell ThomasActiveFederal Public Defender | 10 | 2021 | 0% won of 10 decided cases Won 0Mixed 1Lost 9 |
| 58 | John Henry WrightActiveThe Wright Law Group, P.C. | 10 | 2021 | 17% won of 6 decided cases Won 1Mixed 0Lost 5 |
| 59 | Nicholas Ethan BelayActiveAkerman LLP | 9 | 2021 | 86% won of 7 decided cases Won 6Mixed 1Lost 0 |
| 60 | Leslie B HartActiveFennemore | 9 | 2021 | No decided cases |
| 61 | Kimball J. JonesActiveBighorn Law | 9 | 2021 | 50% won of 6 decided cases Won 3Mixed 2Lost 1 |
| 62 | Christina V. MillerActiveWright, Finlay & Zak, LLP | 9 | 2021 | 67% won of 6 decided cases Won 4Mixed 0Lost 2 |
| 63 | Matthew J. PennellActiveClark County Special Public Defender | 9 | 2021 | 11% won of 9 decided cases Won 1Mixed 0Lost 8 |
| 64 | Kelsey Lauren BernsteinActiveClark County Public Defender | 8 | 2021 | 13% won of 8 decided cases Won 1Mixed 1Lost 6 |
| 65 | Michael Frederick BohnActiveMichael F. Bohn, Esq., Ltd. | 8 | 2021 | 33% won of 6 decided cases Won 2Mixed 1Lost 3 |
| 66 | Dylan T. CicilianoActiveGarman Turner Gordon LLP | 8 | 2021 | 50% won of 2 decided cases Won 1Mixed 0Lost 1 |
| 67 | Alexis Marie DueckerActiveSDS Chartered, LLC | 8 | 2021 | 0% won of 7 decided cases Won 0Mixed 0Lost 7 |
| 68 | John J Friel Jr.Inactive | 8 | 2021 | 100% won of 8 decided cases Won 8Mixed 0Lost 0 |
| 69 | Terrence Michael JacksonDeceased | 8 | 2021 | 0% won of 8 decided cases Won 0Mixed 1Lost 7 |
| 70 | Robert C. McBrideActiveMcBride Hall | 8 | 2021 | 57% won of 7 decided cases Won 4Mixed 1Lost 2 |
| 71 | Timothy Chase PittsenbargerActiveLee Kiefer & Park LLP | 8 | 2021 | 100% won of 7 decided cases Won 7Mixed 0Lost 0 |
| 72 | Kimberly Anne SandbergNMATTORNEY Cert FPD or US Atty 49.1(1)(g)Federal Public Defender | 8 | 2021 | 0% won of 8 decided cases Won 0Mixed 1Lost 7 |
| 73 | Erika Pike TurnerActiveGarman Turner Gordon | 8 | 2021 | 33% won of 3 decided cases Won 1Mixed 1Lost 1 |
| 74 | Michael L. BeckerActiveLas Vegas Defense Group LLC | 7 | 2021 | 0% won of 7 decided cases Won 0Mixed 0Lost 7 |
| 75 | Todd L. BiceActivePisanelli Bice, LLC | 7 | 2021 | 50% won of 4 decided cases Won 2Mixed 1Lost 1 |
| 76 | Emily Allen-Wiles BuchwaldActivePisanelli Bice | 7 | 2021 | 100% won of 3 decided cases Won 3Mixed 0Lost 0 |
| 77 | Rex D. GarnerActiveFox Rothschild LLP | 7 | 2021 | 100% won of 3 decided cases Won 3Mixed 0Lost 0 |
| 78 | Christopher J. HicksActive | 7 | 2021 | 50% won of 6 decided cases Won 3Mixed 1Lost 2 |
| 79 | Mark A. HutchisonActiveHutchison & Steffen, PLLC | 7 | 2021 | 50% won of 6 decided cases Won 3Mixed 1Lost 2 |
| 80 | Jonathan M. KirshbaumNMATTORNEY Cert FPD or US Atty 49.1(1)(g)Federal PD's Office | 7 | 2021 | 0% won of 2 decided cases Won 0Mixed 0Lost 2 |
| 81 | Kathryn E. ReynoldsActiveWashoe County PD's Office | 7 | 2021 | 0% won of 6 decided cases Won 0Mixed 1Lost 5 |
| 82 | Damian R. SheetsActiveNevada Defense Group | 7 | 2021 | 14% won of 7 decided cases Won 1Mixed 1Lost 5 |
| 83 | Melinda E. SimpkinsInactive | 7 | 2021 | 0% won of 7 decided cases Won 0Mixed 0Lost 7 |
| 84 | Matthew J. StermitzActiveMatt Stermitz Law, LLC | 7 | 2021 | 0% won of 7 decided cases Won 0Mixed 0Lost 7 |
| 85 | Jaimie Ann StilzActive | 7 | 2021 | 80% won of 5 decided cases Won 4Mixed 1Lost 0 |
| 86 | Melanie Anne BrantinghamActiveCarson City DA's Office | 6 | 2021 | 100% won of 5 decided cases Won 5Mixed 0Lost 0 |
| 87 | Garrett Royal ChaseActiveVC2 Law | 6 | 2021 | 60% won of 5 decided cases Won 3Mixed 0Lost 2 |
| 88 | Benjamin P. ClowardActiveCloward Trial Lawyers | 6 | 2021 | 80% won of 5 decided cases Won 4Mixed 0Lost 1 |
| 89 | Sally S. deSotoActiveWashoe County Public Defender | 6 | 2021 | 0% won of 5 decided cases Won 0Mixed 0Lost 5 |
| 90 | Thomas A. EricssonActiveOronoz & Ericsson Injury Lawyers | 6 | 2021 | 20% won of 5 decided cases Won 1Mixed 0Lost 4 |
| 91 | Renee M. FinchActiveSummit Trial Attorneys | 6 | 2021 | 50% won of 4 decided cases Won 2Mixed 0Lost 2 |
| 92 | Gil KahnActiveSnell & Wilmer | 6 | 2021 | 67% won of 6 decided cases Won 4Mixed 1Lost 1 |
| 93 | Rory T. KayActiveMcDonald Carano LLP | 6 | 2021 | 0% won of 2 decided cases Won 0Mixed 1Lost 1 |
| 94 | Dennis L. KennedyExempt ActiveBailey Kennedy, LLP | 6 | 2021 | 0% won of 4 decided cases Won 0Mixed 1Lost 3 |
| 95 | Anne M. LangerExempt ActiveStorey County DIstrict Attorney's Office | 6 | 2021 | 60% won of 5 decided cases Won 3Mixed 0Lost 2 |
| 96 | Emily M. McFarlingActiveMcFarling Cohen Fic & Squires | 6 | 2021 | 40% won of 5 decided cases Won 2Mixed 2Lost 1 |
| 97 | Craig A. MuellerActiveCraig Mueller & Associates | 6 | 2021 | 20% won of 5 decided cases Won 1Mixed 0Lost 4 |
| 98 | Michael D. ParienteActiveThe Pariente Law Firm, P.C. | 6 | 2021 | 0% won of 6 decided cases Won 0Mixed 0Lost 6 |
| 99 | Brandon L. PhillipsActiveMartinez & Dieterich Legal Group | 6 | 2021 | 0% won of 4 decided cases Won 0Mixed 0Lost 4 |
| 100 | Jamie J. ReschActiveResch Law, PLLC | 6 | 2021 | 0% won of 6 decided cases Won 0Mixed 0Lost 6 |
How these numbers are computed
Where the data comes from. Published decisions and unpublished dispositional orders of the Supreme Court of Nevada and Court of Appeals of Nevada, with each case's parties and their lawyers taken from the courts' public case records. We match lawyer names to the bar roll and only count confident matches. Case data via YourNevadaJudges.com. U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit cases come from the public RECAP Archive on CourtListener (Free Law Project) and cover only the Nevada-origin dockets already in that archive, so the federal count is partial.
Cases counts each case once, no matter how many filings it had. Heads of government law offices (district attorneys, the attorney general, public defenders) are listed on every case their office handles, which is why they lead the table.
Results. Won means the court ruled the way that lawyer's side asked. Mixed means the court agreed in part. The percentage is won divided by all decided cases (won, mixed, and lost). Cases that were dismissed for procedural reasons, or where we could not determine the result, are not counted.
Read the percentage with care. Appellate courts uphold far more rulings than they overturn. A lawyer who mostly defends rulings will naturally show a higher won-share than one who mostly challenges them, and prosecutors mostly defend. Hover over a Results cell for the split between challenging and defending. Coverage of unpublished orders is still being extended, so counts for some lawyers will grow.
Firm view credits a case to the firm where the lawyer works today, even if the lawyer was elsewhere when the case was decided.