Veteran attorney appointed to Las Vegas Municipal Court judgeship

A retired veteran Las Vegas attorney will temporarily replace a Municipal Court judge who cut her term short this fall.

Judge Peter Bellon will lead the court’s Department 2 until Las Vegans elect a new jurist in 2026.

On Wednesday morning, he took his oath of office before the City Council, which appointed him this month.

Bellon replaces former Judge Susan Roger, who retired in November, months before her elected term expired.

The court oversees misdemeanor cases, such as traffic infractions and low-level criminal cases, within city limits.

After Roger announced her exit, the city conducted an open recruitment.

Eight candidates advanced to an interview process through a panel appointed by the council.

Five members of the council then interviewed the top six hopefuls, narrowing down the choice to three. Bellon ranked the highest, besting John Lavery and Taylor Smith.

Bellon will earn a yearly base salary of $220,000, according to the city.

After he was robed and swore allegiance to the Constitution, Bellon thanked the council for entrusting him.

“This will be my last year as a caretaker,” he said. “It’s an honor to end it on the bench serving the people of Las Vegas, a city that I love.”

Bellon moved to Las Vegas in 1980, where he said he paid his way through UNLV working as a hotel security guard and a blackjack dealer. He also had a brief stint as a high school teacher.

He earned his law degree from St. John’s School of Law, returning to Las Vegas for his 1992 Nevada Bar admission, Bellon said.

Bellon practiced law for more than three decades, founding the Bellon Law Group, according to his biography.

“I’ve always measured success by substance and not by symbols,” he said. “So, I’ve been blessed personally and professionally.”

Contact Ricardo Torres-Cortez at rtorres@reviewjournal.com.