Nine finalists named for new Nevada appeals court

Nine finalists for three judgeships on the new Nevada Court of Appeals were named Thursday.

Supreme Court Chief Justice Mark Gibbons made the announcement.

The names of the nominees, who were picked after interviews by the Nevada Commission on Judicial Selection, were sent to Gov. Brian Sandoval, who will make the appointments.

Finalists include:

Department 1

• David A. Hardy, 50, District Court judge, Second Judicial District (Washoe County)

• Kirby J. Smith, 57, attorney, Lionel Sawyer & Collins

• Jerome T. Tao, 46, District Court judge, Eighth Judicial District (Clark County)

Department 2

• Thomas D. Beatty, III, 72, attorney, law 0ffices of Thomas D. Beatty

• Michael Patrick Gibbons, 58, District Court judge, Ninth Judicial District (Douglas County)

• Susan Holland Johnson, 55, District Court judge, Eighth Judicial District

Department 3

• Allan Ray Earl, 73, District Court judge, Eighth Judicial District

• Abbi Silver, 50, District Court judge, Eighth Judicial District

• Joan Chisholm Wright, 62, attorney, Allison Mackenzie Pavlakis Wright & Fagan

A total of 36 attorneys submitted applications. Applicants had to be Nevada attorneys with 15 years of legal experience, two of those in Nevada.