Christopher Hazlett-Stevens

NAME: Christopher Hazlett-Stevens

AGE: 53

PARTY AFFILIATION: Democrat running in non-partisan race

DAY JOB: Judge, Dept. 4 Reno Municipal Court

EDUCATION: McGeorge School of Law, Juris Doctor with Distinction conferred May 2006; Penn State University, Bachelor of Arts in Administration of Justice with Distinction, Minor in Spanish conferred December 1997.

HOW LONG YOU HAVE LIVED IN NEVADA: 20 years

WRITE A BRIEF (TWO TO THREE SENTENCES) SUMMARY OF YOUR PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE THAT WOULD ENABLE YOU TO PERFORM THE DUTIES OF THIS OFFICE:

I have focused my career in public service. Prior to being appointed to the bench by the Reno City Council in January 2021, I served as a Criminal Prosecutor for 12 years with the City of Reno. There, I prosecuted thousands of cases securing convictions through hundreds of trials in the same court I now serve as judge. The transition from prosecutor to the bench was seamless based on my many years of relevant and current experience in this court. I serve on the bench with a robust knowledge of criminal law and a solid foundation of courtroom experience.

WHAT IS YOUR TOP PRIORITY IF ELECTED?

My top priority is to continue expanding the many services available at Reno Municipal Community Court. I have already greatly expanded the court since my appointment to the bench by adding many new service providers and by creating broader access to serve a greater number of people. Also, as the only Spanish speaking judge on the Reno Municipal Court bench, I have increased access to Spanish speaking services. I will continue to build connections to additional community providers who can help address the needs of Reno’s unsheltered population.

BRIEFLY DESCRIBE YOUR JUDICIAL PHILOSOPHY—WHAT MAKES AN EFFECTIVE JUDGE?

Guided by my many years as a criminal prosecutor, I learned that identifying and treating the underlying causes and conditions that bring a person before me is the best path toward reducing recidivism. Where untreated mental illness and substance use disorders are what animate criminal behavior, treating those issues, especially at the misdemeanor level, can have profound and lasting changes on a person’s life and reduce their propensity for reoffending and possibly committing more serious crimes in the future.

IN ONE SENTENCE: WHAT’S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING VOTERS SHOULD KNOW ABOUT YOU?