District Court Judge, Eighth Judicial District, Family Division, Dept. N

Presiding Judge, Eighth Judicial District, Dept. N

• Judge Maxey served in the Juvenile Division of the Clark County Public Defender’s office between 2005 and 2021, representing and defending children ranging in ages from 8 to 21.
• Following her time at the CCPD’s, Judge Maxey became a staff attorney at Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada, working in the Minor Guardianship Advocacy Program until 2023.
• Judge Maxey returned to the CCPD’s office in October 2023 and held this position until she was sworn onto the bench in January 2025.
• As a law student, Judge Maxey participated in the Juvenile Justice Clinic for two semesters.

N/A

• “Compassionate – Experienced.”
• Compassion and empathy feature prominently in her campaign materials.

• Endorsements:
  • Public Safety Alliance of Nevada
  • Las Vegas Police Managers & Supervisors Association
  • Nevada Police Union
  • Las Vegas Police Protective Association
  • Las Vegas Peace Officer Supervisor Association
  • Police Officers Association of Clark County School District
  • Las Vegas Peace Officers Association
  • Peace Officer Research Association of Nevada
  • Sparks Police Protective Association
  • Reno Police Protective Association
  • Carson City Sheriff’s Supervisor Association
  • Washoe County Sheriff Deputies Association
  • Washoe County School Police Officer’s Association
  • Douglas County Sheriff’s Protective Association
  • Veterans in Politics International
  • Nevada Veterans Association
  • Armed Forces Chamber
  • Professional Fire Fighters of Nevada
  • Nevada Association of Public Safety Officers
  • Western States Regional Council of Carpenters
  • International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees
  • Clark County Deputy Marshals Association
  • National Organization for Women
  • Southern Nevada Central Labor Council
  • Laborers’ International Union of North America Local 872
  • Service Employees International Union Nevada Local 1107
  • Hispanics in Politics
  • Bartenders Local 165
  • Culinary Workers Union Local 226
  • Sheet Metal Worker’s International Association Local 88
  • Operative Plasterers’ & Cement Masons’ Local 797
  • Teamsters Nevada
• Major donors:
  • Per her most recent Contributions and Expenses Report filed with the Nevada Secretary of State, Judge Maxey raised $60,170.36 in contributions since Jan. 1, 2026, and spent $44,325.99 during the same time period.
    • Her largest donors in 2026 thus far are:
    • Michelle Chen (Las Vegas, NV) ($2,334.88)
    • Ofelia Markarian (Las Vegas, NV) ($2,594)
    • Ofelia Markarian, Esq. (Las Vegas, NV) ($1,037.75)
    • Kelleher and Kelleher (Henderson, NV) ($1,500)
    • James Kwon (Las Vegas, NV) ($1,556.50)
  • Her donors overwhelmingly come from Las Vegas and Henderson, with only one out-of-state donor coming from New Mexico.

• Judge Maxey’s resume is quiet on her volunteer service. However, while a law student, she worked with the Juvenile Justice Clinic and extended her work with that program beyond the customary one semester of work.

• Attorney, Kainen Law Group, PLLC; former District Court Judge, Family Division, Department N
  • Practice areas: Family/domestic law (primary focus), personal injury, juvenile matters, criminal law, commercial/civil litigation. As a judge, presided over the Family Court domestic docket.
  • Prior job titles: District Court judge, Family Division, Department N, Eighth Judicial District Court (March 2023-January 2025); sole practitioner, Paul M. Gaudet, Attorney at Law (October 1992-March 2023); accountant/auditor, Hertz Penske Trucking (1987-1989, prior to law school).

32-plus years in the legal profession; operated his own solo law practice in Las Vegas from 1992 to 2023, focused primarily on family law along with personal injury, juvenile, and criminal matters; appointed to the Family Court bench (Department N) by Gov. Lombardo in March 2023; lost the November 2024 special election to retain the seat; returned to private practice at Kainen Law Group, PLLC in March 2025; is now running again in the 2026 general election for Department N in a rematch against incumbent Judge Kerri Maxey.

Carly v. Carly (1993) — his first trial after being sworn in, securing primary physical custody, support, and property division for his client; Bush v. State (1996) — represented parents with intellectual disabilities in a termination-of-parental-rights case, later appealed to the Nevada Supreme Court, which led him to take on 100-plus similar reduced-fee cases over his career; State v. Whitaker (1994) — served as co-counsel in the capital murder defense of a young father accused of killing his infant child; Cannon v. Zakouto (2000) and Hernandez v. Hernandez (1998) — two domestic violence/protective order cases in which his clients were later murdered by the opposing parties, experiences he describes as deeply impactful personally and professionally.

Judge Gaudet has emphasized fair, impartial, efficient and expeditious resolution of family court matters, stating that every litigant deserves to be heard and every child deserves a loving relationship with both parents. He prides himself on taking the bench on time, coming prepared, and rendering timely decisions — citing an average case closure rate of over 120 cases per month during his time on the bench and a longest decision turnaround of five days. He is running in 2026 to reclaim the Department N seat he lost in 2024.

In his 2024 race, reported endorsements from nearly 100 law enforcement agencies, the International Association of Fire Fighters, the Clark County District Attorney's Association, the Investigators Association, veterans groups, Gov. Joe Lombardo, District Attorney Steve Wolfson, and most of the prominent family law attorneys in the jurisdiction. 2026-specific endorsements not yet confirmed.

• Major donors: Nothing specific

Secretary/Treasurer, The Gentleman's League (2016-present), a nonprofit supporting veterans' and children's causes in Clark County, including monthly meals for veterans; volunteer attorney, Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada's "Ask a Lawyer" program; volunteered with the State Bar's "Trial of the Century" mock-trial program for elementary schools (2015-2020); youth sports coach (baseball, softball, soccer) and karate instructor (2001-2019); supporter of the CASA program since taking the bench; member of the St. Viator Church community.