Judge Chris Lee is judge in Department 1 of the North Las Vegas Municipal Court. He also is the presiding judge over the North Las Vegas CARE (Community Approach to Rehabilitation and Engagement) Court. The CARE Court addresses factors that underlie defendants’ criminal behavior to reduce recidivism, improve the quality-of-life in North Las Vegas neighborhoods, and increase the public’s confidence in the court system. It is the first of its kind therapeutic treatment court in North Las Vegas.

Judge Lee is also the former Chief Judge of North Las Vegas Justice Court. He held the Department 3 Justice of the Peace position for 12 years and served North Las Vegas residents with distinction since January 2009. Judge Lee was the first-ever Asian American elected to the Clark County Justice Court bench. He is also currently an Officer in the United States Air Force Reserves, Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps and regularly serves as adjunct professor of Criminal Justice at the College of Southern Nevada. 

Military - Specialty/Diversionary Court Experience 

Judge Lee is an officer in the United States Air Force Reserve, JAG Corps. As an Assistant Staff Judge Advocate, he is a certified trial counsel for military courts and provides legal advice to commanders on the full spectrum of military justice and civil matters. He has received the Air Force Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Meritorious Unit Award, and the Air Force Organizational Excellence Award.

Judge Lee’s military service was one of the main motivations for him to establish the first and only Veterans’ Treatment Court in the City of North Las Vegas. During his early military career, he was attached to Nellis Air Force Base and saw firsthand the effects of PTSD on military members. Statistically, veterans prefer to live near an active duty military installation and a VA hospital. Judge Lee realized that with Nellis AFB and the newest North Las Vegas VA Hospital both in his judicial jurisdiction, there was a need from the veterans’ community that had to be met. Judge Lee’s Vet Court helped veterans and active duty members with service related issues by coordinating the resources of the Veterans Administration with local government and non-profit organizations. 

Over the years, Judge Lee has received countless hours of judicial education and training on the successful operation and implementation of Diversionary Courts. Judge Lee’s education, training, and temperament made the diversionary Vet Court program extremely successful and gave our local veterans an opportunity to have their criminal case dismissed and expunged to start their life anew.

Academia - Legal Experience

Judge Lee has also served as an adjunct professor teaching various Criminal Justice courses at the College of Southern Nevada since 2014. He has also hosted mock trials for elementary schools at his courthouse as well as countless visits to local schools for lectures on the three branches of government, career days, and reading weeks. He is proud and grateful to have been a part of the journey for many of our local youth in obtaining their associates, bachelors, paralegal, and law degrees.

Prior to his election to the bench, he served two years as the Deputy Secretary of State for Southern Nevada. As the deputy secretary of state, Judge Lee oversaw all of the secretary of state’s southern Nevada operations to include corporate filings, securities, elections, and notaries.

Previous to that civil service, Judge Lee served as Deputy District Attorney for the Clark County District Attorney’s Office for seven years successfully prosecuting murder, rape, kidnapping, and child molestation jury trials. He served in various specialty units such as the DUI and Domestic Violence team, ultimately ending his career as a Chief Deputy with the Special Victims Unit.

Judge Lee grew up here in Southern Nevada and graduated from Bishop Gorman High School.  He went on to attend Occidental College where he achieved Dean’s List Honors. After graduating Occidental College, Judge Lee attended Santa Clara University Law School. While at Santa Clara, Judge Lee was named a Law Faculty Scholar and held the position of Visiting Student at Loyola Law School (Los Angeles). Judge Lee is a member of the American Bar Association Judicial Division, American Judges Association, Nevada Judges of Limited Jurisdiction, and the National Asian American Bar Association.

Judge Lee is married and has raised two children and two dogs.