BIOGRAPHY

Judge Chris Lee is current Chief Judge of the North Las Vegas Municipal Court, Dept 1. Judge Lee was previously the Clark County Justice Court Justice of the Peace for the North Las Vegas Township. He was first elected to that position in November of 2008.

 

Judge Lee is currently the Chief Judge of the North Las Vegas Municipal Court, Dept 1. Previous to that, he was the Chief Judge of North Las Vegas Justice Court. Judge Lee held the Department 3 Justice of the Peace position that he was first elected to in 2008. He has served North Las Vegas residents with distinction since January 2009. He is also currently an officer in the United States Air Force Reserves JAG Corps. 

Prior to his election as Justice of the Peace, Chris served as Deputy Nevada Secretary of State for 2 years. Before that, Judge Lee was a hard-nosed prosecutor with the Clark County District Attorney's office for 7 years, with extensive experience in both the Civil and Criminal Divisions. As a Deputy District Attorney, Chris served the Special Victims/Domestic Violence Unit and Driving Under the Influence Unit as a Criminal Prosecutor.

Judge Lee is an Officer in the United States Air Force Reserves JAG Corps and he founded North Las Vegas Veterans Treatment Court. The first-of-its-kind diversion program helps expand access to vital services for both veterans and active duty military.  This specialty court continues to be the first veterans' court program targeted for the North Las Vegas Township.

Judge Lee grew up here in Southern Nevada and graduated from Bishop Gorman High School.  He went on to attend Occidental College where he achieved Dean's List Honors.

After graduating from Occidental College, Judge Lee attended Santa Clara University Law School. While at Santa Clara, Judge Lee was named a Law Faculty Scholar and held the position of Visiting Student at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles.

Judge Lee is married and the proud father of two children.

Judge, North Las Vegas Justice Court, Department 3

 

January 2009 - January 2021 (elected November 2008)
Judge of the Clark County Justice Court, North Las Vegas Justice Township, Dept. 3.

  • Judge for felony preliminary hearings and trial judge for misdemeanors

  • Trial judge for all civil cases with less than $15,000 in dispute

  • Review police reports for probable cause, set bail amounts, hear arraignments and accepting plea deals

  • Hears a full civil calendar, including evictions, small claims and unlawful detainers

  • Approves and signs search warrants, arrest warrants and temporary protective orders

Officer, United States Air Force Reserve

 

November 2011 – present; Officer Training School (OTS) Distinguished Graduate
Currently serves as Assistant Staff Judge Advocate General (JAG Corps) stationed at Hill Air Force Base, Utah.

  • Provide legal advice to Air Force commanders

  • Represent the Air Force in criminal courts-martial

  • Represent the Air Force in civil litigation

Part-time Instructor, College of Southern Nevada

 

Fall Semester 2014 – Present
Adjunct instructor in the Criminal Justice Department, teaching Criminal Evidence classes to approximately 25 students per semester.

  • Took a break from teaching to attend in-residence Squadron Officer School

Deputy Secretary of State for Southern Nevada, Nevada Secretary of States Office

 

January 2007 – January 2009
Managed a staff of approximately 40 individuals in the Southern Nevada branch. 

  • Supervised criminal investigations on senior investment fraud, mortgage related scams, consumer fraud, and securities violations

  • Assisted in overseeing Nevada’s elections – Federal, State, County, and Municipal.

  • Led investor education seminars

  • Served as an Administrative Hearing Officer for security/investment related offenses and notary violations

Deputy District Attorney, Clark County District Attorney’s Office

 

April 2000 – January 2007

Prosecuted jury trials consisting of every type of serious case including murders, several child molestation/rape cases, burglary, kidnapping, robbery, and evading police. Additionally, handled hundreds of other cases including misdemeanor bench trials and felony preliminary hearings. Assignments to various specialty units including:

  • Special Victim’s Unit

  • Domestic Violence Unit 

  • Driving Under the Influence Unit

Education

 

National Judicial College - 2009

  • Special Courts: Advanced Course Completion

Juris Doctorate, Santa Clara University – 1999

  • Named a Law Faculty Scholar

  • Elected President of the Asian Pacific Law Student Association

  • Selected as Chairperson of the Admissions Application Review Committee

  • Visiting Student, Loyola Law School (Los Angeles)

Bachelor of Arts, Occidental College – 1996

  • Majored in Political Science

  • Received Dean’s List Honors

  • Served as a Resident Advisor

Presentations

 

  • Instructor, Las Vegas Metro Police Academy – Evidence, Search, and Seizure

  • Lecturer, Nevada State Bar Association – ‘Bridge the Gap’ a program for newly admitted attorneys

  • Lecturer, Clark County Bar Association – Trial by Peers

  • Guest Speaker – Criminal Court System, Rotary Club

  • Lecturer – Investor Education / Crime Prevention Seminars

Community Involvement

 

  • Past Member of Parish Council and Lector, St. John Neumann Roman Catholic Church

  • Past Board Member, Volunteer Center of Southern Nevada

  • Past Board Member, Alzheimer Advisory Board – Memory Walk

  • Big Brother, Boys Night Out with the Boys and Girls Club

Professional Associations

 

  • American Judges Association

  • American Bar Association - Judicial Division

  • Nevada Judges of Limited Jurisdiction Association

  • Nevada Bar Association

  • Clark County Bar Association

  • Asian Bar Association 

  • Past Member Nevada Trial Lawyers Association

  • Past Member of Nevada District Attorneys Association

 

For updates, follow us at the following social media channels.