Patrick James Murphy
DeceasedBar #1222 - ATTORNEY Deceased
- Admitted
- 9/29/1981
- Law school
- U of Puget Sound
In Memoriam
Patrick James Murphy - 1953 to 2010-09-09
Patrick James Murphy was a skilled and respected Nevada trial attorney who practiced law in Las Vegas for some 30 years. A summa cum laude graduate of Northern Michigan University, where he earned a bachelor of science in education, he obtained his juris doctorate from the Seattle University School of Law in 1980 before moving to Las Vegas to begin his legal career.
Widely regarded for his courtroom prowess, Pat served as president of the Nevada Trial Lawyers Association. He was admitted to the State Bar of Nevada and was also a member of the bars of the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court.
Beyond the courtroom, Pat was known for his zest for life - an avid fly-fisherman, deep-sea angler, motorcyclist, and self-proclaimed scratch golfer whose passions took him from Nevada to courses and waters around the world. He passed away on September 9, 2010, just days short of his 57th birthday, while on a fishing and golfing trip in San Jose, Costa Rica.
Patrick Murphy Obituary (2010) - Las Vegas, NV (Las Vegas Review-Journal (Legacy.com)) - Pat Murphy, former Nevada Trial Lawyers president, dies on vacation in Costa Rica (Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Discipline history
No discipline on record.
Record last verified Jul 18, 2026
Appellate record
Handled 1 Supreme Court of Nevada cases on record.
Results in appellate decisions and orders
Details by role (challenging vs. defending a ruling)
- Civil cases - Challenging a ruling: won 1 of 1
Appellate courts uphold far more rulings than they overturn, so lawyers who mostly defend rulings tend to show higher won-shares than lawyers who mostly challenge them. This breakdown lets you compare like with like.
Won means the court ruled the way this side asked. Mixed means the court agreed in part. Cases that were dismissed or have no clear result are listed but not counted. Based on the court's published decisions and unpublished orders; coverage is still being extended.
- 55458 - Costello v. Casler (Jul 7, 2011)Ruling overturnedWon - challenged the ruling case details
Case data via YourNevadaJudges.com - Nevada appellate decisions and orders
Ran for judicial office
- Public Administrator (2026) - Filed source
Profile data from official public records, last verified Jul 18, 2026. Request a correction via the corrections page.