Assembly hears bill to extend legal protections to tribal judges after testimony describing threats and harassment

Assembly Bill 150, introduced by Assemblyman David Orentlicher, would expand statutory protections to tribal judges and, by amendment proposed at the hearing, to tribal court staff and tribal law-enforcement personnel.

Orentlicher told the Assembly Judiciary Committee the bill responds to a legal gap: "We protect judges, but we don't protect tribal judges," he said, and asked the committee to consider removing a geographic limitation so judges who serve tribes outside Nevada would also be covered.

Tribal Judge Patricia Lindsey of the Winnemucca Indian Colony provided detailed testimony about intimidation, threats and a past mass-shooting episode she said left her and colleagues vulnerable under current law: "This is the only reason I am alive to provide testimony for you today," Lindsey said when recounting an incident in Arizona in 2014. She said social-media campaigns, mailed anonymous letters, doxxing of her personal information, and threats to neighbors followed a contentious housing eviction case she later presided over. Lindsey said local and state law enforcement told her some matters were tribal issues and others federal — leaving uncertainty and reduced protection for judges who live off reservation.

The bill as presented would add tribal judges to the list of public officials protected from threats and intimidation, raise penalties for assault or battery against judges, allow certain personal contact information for tribal judges to be kept confidential in public records, and permit tribal judges to request alternate addresses on driver's licenses or identification cards. Orentlicher said he would present an amendment to broaden coverage to tribal court employees and remove the limitation to tribes "located within the boundaries of the state." He also noted the bill was brought to his attention by Judge Lindsey and that he intended to include tribal prosecutors and court clerks in the protections.

Supporters who testified included the Nevada District Attorneys Association, representatives of the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe and the Duck Valley Shoshone-Paiute Tribe, and other tribal representatives. Jennifer Noble of the Nevada District Attorneys Association said the association "hope[s] you will consider this important piece of legislation." Brett Scolari and Sarah Adler testified on behalf of multiple tribes and tribal interests and said tribal judges deserve protections comparable to other civil and criminal judges.

Judge Lindsey urged a specific wording change to ensure judges who travel for training or who serve tribes with headquarters outside Nevada would remain covered. "My only request is that you consider changing the language to simply say 'a tribal court judge or a tribal court judge for a federally recognized Indian tribe,' because the language, as written, would exclude protection for any tribal judge attending training at the National Judicial College in Reno," she said.

Committee members expressed sympathy for Lindsey’s experience and discussed the scope of protections. No formal vote was recorded at the hearing; the sponsor said he would bring conceptual amendments for committee consideration.

If enacted, AB150 would align Nevada’s statutory protections for public officials to explicitly include tribal judicial officers and, as proposed, tribal court staff and law-enforcement personnel.