Hon. Danielle Kahakai Hiluhilu R. Pieper

District Judge - Eighth Judicial District Court - Civil/Criminal Division - Department VII

On February 28, 2023, Governor Lombardo appointed Danielle K. Pieper to the District Court bench. Judge Pieper is the first woman of Hawaiian ancestry to serve on the District Court in the State of Nevada. Her case assignments consist of both criminal and civil cases. Judge Pieper took the bench on March 20, 2023. Judge Pieper was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii. She graduated from St. Andrew’s Priory High School, which was founded by Queen Emma, who founded the school to educate women of Hawaii. After graduation, she attended Whittier College in California. After college, she worked in the Los Angeles Unified School District and volunteered at the Child Abuse Services Team (CAST), in Orange, California. Judge Pieper found her passion for helping others through her volunteer experience. It was after this experience she decided to go to law school. In 2000, Judge Pieper attended McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento, California. Judge Pieper has dedicated her legal career to public service. She graduated in 2003 and moved to Las Vegas, Nevada. After passing the bar, she worked for the City of Las Vegas as a Deputy City Attorney. While there, she prosecuted numerous cases, including Battery Domestic Violence and DUI cases. In 2005, she accepted a position with the Clark County District Attorney’s Office where she honed her craft as a litigator. In 2009, Judge Pieper transitioned to the Special Victim’s Unit (SVU). While there she prosecuted sexual and physical abuse cases involving minor children and adults. In October of 2010, she moved to the Gang Unit, and in 2012, she was promoted to team chief of that unit. Judge Pieper has tried over 50 felony jury trials and hundreds of bench trials. As team chief of the Gang Unit, Judge Pieper has worked with various organizations, including Hope for Prisoner’s and the Nevada Department of Parole and Probation to find alternatives to incarceration. Judge Pieper has also participated in a joint study with UNLV, the University of Cincinnati, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, and the Nevada Department of Parole and Probation to reduce crime in Las Vegas.

Source: official court website - retrieved Aug 22, 2026