Eric Johnson has known Bobby and Sandy Ellis for over 17 years, volunteering yearly as Santa Claus at their Christmas assembles at six at risk elementary schools in Clark County. Eric feels fortunate to have had the opportunity to be a part of these incredible special moments for thousands of children receiving their shoes, socks and presents during the holiday season.
Eric currently serves as District Judge for Department XX for Nevada’s Eighth Judicial District Court, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Governor Brian Sandoval appointed him as a judge in 2015, and voters elected him in 2016 and 2020.
Prior to his appointment to the bench, Eric joined the United States Department of Justice in 1983 through the Attorney General’s Employment Program for Honor Law Graduates and prosecuted and tried cases involving domestic and international organized crime, RICO, violent crime, narcotics, money laundering, terrorism, corruption, and casino and complex fraud. He served 31 years with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada, including 10 years as Chief of the Office’s Organized Crime Strike Force and then two years as overall Chief of the Criminal Division for the state. He was twice honored as one of the nation’s top prosecutors with the Department of Justice’s Director’s Award for Superior Performance as an Assistant U.S. Attorney and received commendations from the Tokyo (Japan) Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Ministry of Public Safety, People’s Republic of China, for his work with multi-million dollar international money laundering prosecutions. Before coming on the bench, Eric was a regular instructor of trial advocacy and strategy at the Department of Justice’s National Advocacy Center and presenter for its Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development Assistance and Training and at the International Law Enforcement Academy in Bangkok, Thailand. He has taught Ethics and Professional Responsibility as an Adjunct Professor at the UNLV Boyd School of Law.
Eric earned his B.S. degree from Emporia State University and his J.D. degree from the University of Kansas School of Law where he was a member of the law review and Order of the Coif. He graduated 2nd in his law school class. He is a member of the State Bar of Nevada and the Kansas Bar Association. Eric and his wife, Susan, have two grown daughters and have been active members of our community for 37 years. Eric and Susan were inducted into Green Valley High School’s Wall of Fame for their work over a 15-year period with the school’s women sports programs. A member for 32 years in Green Valley United Methodist Church, he has served as president and trustee of the church’s corporate body and as chairman of the church’s Staff Parish Relations Committee. He also regularly participates in graduation programs for the Hope for Prisoners reentry program.
