Prosecutor challenges incumbent judge in Clark County District Court Department 29 

Clark County District Court Judge Jacob Reynolds faces a challenge from prosecutor Alex Quagge in the race for District Court Department 29. Reynolds says attorneys who think he owes them favors that he failed to deliver are behind the effort to elect his opponent.

“I think some people got upset that I didn’t rule their way when they thought I should have, and so now they’re running somebody against me,” Reynolds told the Current. “That’s their right. They want to get somebody who aligns with their business interests. My business is to be fair.” 

Reynolds is speaking of A Coalition for a Fair and Qualified Nevada Judiciary, which has endorsed Quagge. The group is made up of about 20 firms that generally represent plaintiffs, such as personal injury attorneys.

“I’m just not a judge who grants favors,” Reynolds said. “I took a large pay cut to get this job, and if I lose this election, I’ll go back to making more money. I’m not intimidated by people who want to try to intimidate me.”

Quagge says he chose to challenge Reynolds because he spoke with attorneys and others and “a number of people were not happy. Ultimately, that’s why I picked this race. I think it’s important for everybody to believe in the judiciary.” 

Quagge is a prosecutor for the Clark County District Attorney. He served in the same capacity in Carson City. He also served in the U.S. Army JAG Corps. 

“I have a lot of trial experience, both as a prosecutor and as a defense attorney,” he said. “I’m taking multiple trials to verdict, and I think that I would make good, fair, and legally sound rulings.” 

This is Quagge’s first bid for office.

Reynolds first ran for the bench in 2020 and lost to Tara Clark Newberry. In 2023, Gov. Joe Lombardo appointed him to Dept. 29. The following year his opponent dropped out of the race and he ran unopposed.

Of the 189 attorneys who evaluated Reynolds in the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Judging the Judges 2025 survey, 73% said he should be retained. His highest score was for administrative ability while his lowest score was for legal ability. 

“When I saw the rating I was very happy with it because 50% of the people that come in front of me, I tell ‘no.’”

Reynolds doesn’t put too much stock in the ratings. 

“One of the comments said I need to be tougher on crime, and I’ve never handled a criminal case,” he stated. “These people have never been in front of me, obviously, or they’re just doing this maliciously.”

Dept. 29 currently has a civil docket. Reynolds says he has “no criminal background at all,” and doesn’t think judges need to be equipped to handle all types of cases. 

Of 33 cases that have been appealed, Reynolds’ rulings have been deemed in error in six cases. 

“People have donated to me that haven’t donated to any judge ever because I 

bring that civil experience, and I think the civil bar has appreciated getting a fair shake,” he said. “We desperately need judges who have a background in civil law. The great majority of our judges have criminal experience.”  

Quagge says he’d like to preside over a split docket if he’s victorious. 

He says he’s not concerned about exhibiting prosecutorial bias. 

“I’d really be looking at rehabilitation,” Quagge said. ”The motivations behind crimes are often housing instability, untreated mental health issues, or untreated substance abuse that lead somebody to spiral. Ideally, that would all get treated on the front end.”

Quagge says he believes it’s “important for judges to have empathy for everybody in the courtroom, to include the criminal defendant.”

His goal, as a veteran, is to one day preside over the district’s Veteran Treatment Court, which he says is highly effective but could use more resources. “A lot of times we would run into maybe not enough bed space for inpatient treatment, or not enough providers. The system is overloaded.” 

As of July, Quagge had raised $145,000 and had about $110,000 in the bank. 

He is endorsed by Senate Majority Leader and candidate for attorney general Nicole Canizzarro, Clark County Commissioner Tick Segerblom, and Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson, his boss.

He’s also endorsed by PLAN Action, Nevada National Organization for Women (NOW) PAC, veterans groups, and a number of labor organizations, including Culinary Local 226, SEIU Nevada, AFL-CIO, Southern Nevada Central Labor Council, and Teamsters Nevada.

Reynolds raised $483,000 as of the July reporting period and had $370,000 on hand.

“I’m just trying to raise as much as I can to be successful in the race,” he said. 

His endorsements include a dozen law enforcement unions, the Asian American Group, Hispanics in Politics, the Latin Chamber of Commerce, Veterans in Politics, Laborers 720, and the Third Branch PAC, which states on its website that it’s bipartisan, but is funded exclusively by the Nevada Republican Club. 

Reynolds says he was invited to interview by Pauline Lee of the NRC, but was unaware the PAC is funded by a Republican organization. 

“It’s my understanding they try to make it a bipartisan effort,” he said. 

Early voting begins Saturday, Oct. 17.