Judge Vincent Ochoa

District Judge - Eighth Judicial District Court - Family Division - Department S

Judge Ochoa has a breadth of legal experience spanning 40 years. After completing his education at Michigan State University and University of Notre Dame School of Law, he began his legal career in 1978 handling family, civil, and criminal cases as a law clerk for a district judge. He went into private practice the following year handling civil and family law cases. He argued his first family law case in the Nevada Supreme Court in 1981. In 1982, Judge Ochoa had the privilege of representing the citizens of Nevada as a Nevada Deputy Attorney General. For 31 years, Judge Ochoa managed his own practice in both Las Vegas and Reno representing families in cases including divorce, child custody, child support, and adoption. He represented minors in Juvenile Courts for more than 25 years and parents in Family Court in abuse and neglect cases for more than 20 years, including appeals at the Nevada Supreme Court level. Judge Ochoa’s experience is not limited to family law; he has argued criminal cases of domestic violence and substance abuse/DUI, and a range of cases at all levels from Municipal Court, Nevada Supreme Court, Federal Court, and appeals to the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Judge Ochoa has the respect of the legal community; he was voted by his peers to serve as a member of the Board of Governors for the State Bar of Nevada from 2009 until taking the bench. This Board oversees the practice and policy of law in our state. Previously, Judge Ochoa has served on the Board of Directors for Southern Nevada Legal Services and was appointed as an Alternate Municipal Court Judge for the City of North Las Vegas. He served as Alternate Hearing Master in Clark County Juvenile Court, Arbitrator for the Clark County District Court, and Alternate Domestic Violence Commissioner. Appointed in 2017 to the Nevada Permanent State Commission on Guardianship Elected to the Nevada Bar Board of Governors in 2009 Court Appointed Arbitrator for Clark County District Court for 16 years Elected to the District Court, Family Court Judge, Department S, in November of 2010 and reelected in 2014 Appointed in 2017 to the Nevada Permanent State Commission on Guardianship BA from Michigan State University 1975 University of Notre Dame School of Law JD 1978 Law Clerk for District Judge 1978-79 Alternate Municipal Court Judge for the City of North Las Vegas Nevada Deputy Attorney General 1982 Appointed to the Nevada State Welfare Board 1983-84 Public Attorney for Las Vegas Municipal Court, to Department 5, appearing before Honorable Judge Kerns 2007 – 2009

Source: official court website - retrieved Aug 22, 2026