Barker selected as Clark County chief judge

Clark County District Court jurists voted unanimously Wednesday to name David Barker as chief judge.

Barker replaces Jennifer Togliatti, who has served as chief judge since 2011.

Barker was appointed to the bench in 2007 and elected to a six-year term in 2008 without opposition. He is again running unopposed for re-election in November.

“I want to continue to advance efficiencies and technology at the Eighth Judicial District Court,” Barker said in a statement. “Chief Judge Togliatti has done an exceptional job of addressing challenging issues and bringing technological advancements to the court. I will continue the momentum to improve court operations and services, and look forward to the challenges the role of chief judge brings.”

Wednesday’s vote was conducted in a meeting closed to the public.

Barker moved to Las Vegas Nevada from California in 1984 after receiving his law degree from Pepperdine School of Law.

Before becoming a judge, Barker worked as a Clark County prosecutor supervising major fraud cases, as a criminal track team chief, along with stints in the screening and financial crimes divisions, according to his biography on the county’s website. He spent a brief period of his career with a private firm.

Barker has consistently received some of the highest ratings from lawyers in the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Judicial Performance Evaluation.

Contact reporter David Ferrara at dferrara@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-1039. Find him on Twitter: @randompoker.