Recently retired Clark County district judge dies at age 56

Recently retired District Judge Valerie Adair, a Las Vegas native who spent nearly two decades on the bench, died Sunday, according to court officials. She was 56.

A former prosecutor, Adair was first elected to the bench in 2002.

Nevada Supreme Court Justice Abbi Silver and Senior District Judge David Barker worked alongside Adair in the Clark County district attorney’s office in the 1990s, and later on the 11th floor of the Regional Justice Center while they each served on the District Court bench.

Together, with District Judge Michael Villani, whose chambers were on the same floor, they often would meet in Adair’s office to discuss weighty legal issues of the day, before the conversation turned to family, friends or, inevitably, where to have lunch.

“We could sit down and help each other talk through complex issues that ultimately helped every one of us,” Barker said. “She could deep-think issues and find a fair answer.”

Adair often would cover hearings for fellow judges on the floor if they could not make it to court. No matter the case, Villani said, Adair was prepared.

“We always thought we had the best combination of judges,” Villani said. “She would never hesitate to volunteer. She was a true professional. And more importantly, I consider her a very good friend. … She was a hoot to be around, a real help to all of us on the bench.”

Adair’s cause of death was not disclosed.

‘Wicked funny and wicked smart’

She began her legal career in civil litigation in Los Angeles, before she started work at the Clark County district attorney’s office, where she prosecuted white-collar crimes, fraud and cases involving the exploitation of the elderly.

A valedictorian of Clark High School, Adair earned an undergraduate degree from Harvard University and a law degree in 1990 from Georgetown University Law Center.

Adair and Silver attended high school together, and Silver remembered her friend as “wicked funny and wicked smart.”

On the high court, the justice would review cases Adair had presided over.

“I always had confidence going into the record on her cases because the record was always so well-made,” Silver said.

Among the many cases Adair oversaw from the bench was the criminal trial of Dr. Dipak Desai in the deadly 2007 hepatitis C outbreak.

In 2013, after a jury convicted him, Adair sentenced Desai to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 18 years, saying that there was “no worse betrayal of trust” than in what he did to his patients. The Nevada Supreme Court overturned Desai’s murder conviction after he died in prison in early 2017.

Adair did not seek re-election in 2020. In a virtual retirement ceremony for several judges late last year, Adair sought to remain humble about her career, according to Clark County District Court spokeswoman Mary Ann Price.

Among her duties on the bench, Adair was picked by attorneys to be one of four judges initially tasked with paring down the county’s heavy murder case docket. She also served on task forces focused on legal representation for those affected by elderly abuse and exploitation, Price said.

“She didn’t want us to make a big deal about her service to the court,” Price wrote of Adair. “But we will say that Judge Adair has the respect of her colleagues. She is on point with her rulings and treats all those who appear before her with dignity.”

Former Chief Deputy District Attorney Lynn Robinson, one of Adair’s closest friends, recalled her sharp wit and amusing retorts both on and off the bench.

“It’s obvious to say she was always the brightest one in the room,” Robinson said. “She’s the funniest person I think I’ve ever met in my life.”

‘Huge loss for Clark County’

Adair used to tell friends: “You’ve gotta go for the joke, no matter who gets hurt.”

But when it came to the law, Robinson said, Adair was “straight down the middle — this is what the law says, this is what needs to happen. She was a great judge, but she was a better friend.”

Nevada Supreme Court Justice Douglas Herndon, another former prosecutor who worked alongside Adair in the district attorney’s office, called her one of the smartest people he has known.

He said he was heartbroken over her death and added, “I choose to remember how funny and witty she was, rather than all the judicial, professional stuff.”

Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson said he had known Adair for about 30 years.

“I loved her,” he said. “She was smart. She was funny. She had a great smile. She was a great judge. … It’s a huge loss for Clark County. I know a lot of people have aching hearts right now because of the loss of Judge Adair.”

Chief District Judge Linda Bell said Tuesday that she was saddened by Adair’s death. “She was brilliant, an amazing jurist, and far too young,” Bell said. “She will be missed.”

District Judge Tierra Jones worked in Adair’s courtroom as a public defender and prosecutor. When Jones was appointed to the bench in 2017, Adair took her under her wing.

Along with job tips, Adair advised Jones on investing in her retirement and health insurance, and the two grew close.

“You can lunch with me now because we’re judges and you’re not appearing in front of me,” Jones remembered Adair saying. “We talked about everything. She was always full of good advice and good information. Whenever I had questions, I could always talk to her. That lady was so amazing.”

Contact David Ferrara at dferrara@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-1039. Follow @randompoker on Twitter.