October 6, 2026 - 11:30 pm

An established civil attorney and longtime prosecutor-turned-justice of the peace are competing for a District Court judgeship left open after the incumbent decided not to seek re-election.

Danielle Tarmu, a personal injury litigator with nearly two decades of experience, says her civil law background gives her an advantage over Noreen Demonte, who has served as a Las Vegas justice of the peace since 2023. Demonte, who has practiced law longer, says her criminal law and judicial background make her the stronger candidate.

Both candidates have tried hundreds of cases in their respective practice areas. They are seeking the Department 28 seat held by Judge Ronald Israel, who oversees a mixed civil and criminal calendar.

The justice of the peace scored 79.4 percent retention recommendation from attorneys in the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s 2025 judicial performance evaluation. Israel received a rating of 50.7 percent.

Demonte, an Indiana native, moved to Las Vegas after graduating from Indiana University’s Maurer School of Law in 2002. She first worked as a public defender in municipal court, then clerked at the Clark County district attorney’s office before becoming a deputy district attorney.

Tarmu, a Las Vegas native, graduated from UNLV’s Boyd School of Law in 2009. She has worked at prominent firms, clerked for a District Court judge and started a legal writing business.

Both said they have been preparing in areas of law outside their primary experience.

Demonte, who oversees small claims matters and protective orders in Justice Court, said she has been reviewing Nevada Supreme Court civil decisions from the past five years.

“There’s a benefit to being a criminal practitioner learning civil as opposed to the other way around,” Demonte said. “It’s a little more extreme to have to learn criminal law for the first time than it would be for civil.”

She described civil law as more formulaic and straightforward, while criminal law is more nuanced and often requires discretion developed through experience.

Tarmu, who entered law school wanting to become a prosecutor, said she has been studying a criminal law and procedure manual written by former prosecutor and defense attorney Josh Tomsheck.

“It does not scare me,” Tarmu said. “It’ll be a challenge, of course. It’s an area of law that I’m not as familiar with, but every single attorney I’ve ever worked with will tell you that my work ethic is unparalleled.”

The mother of three added: “I put my kids to bed and then I work afterward if I need to.”

She also argued that her knowledge of civil procedure’s rule-based system would enable her to act as a fair, fact-oriented judge rather than impede her.

“The great thing about having a civil background is that we read a lot, and we follow the rules,” Tarmu said. “I’ve been told that sometimes the rules aren’t followed in criminal (law). My opponent said that in a podcast episode, that criminal law tends to be more ‘loosey-goosey,’ and that’s not me at all.”

Contact Akiya Leggio at aleggio@reviewjournal.com.