| Dave Neidert District Attorney A Career Prosecutor for Storey County Republican |
| Biography |
Like most Nevadans, I was not born here, though
I have lived here most of my life.
My father was a college professor, and he moved my mom and
their young family to Nevada approximately 18 months after I was
born in 1961.
I grew up in Reno, attending local schools, and graduated from
Reno High School in 1979.
After two years at the University of Nevada, Reno, I transferred
to Westminster College of Salt Lake City. I graduated from
Westminster College summa cum laude in 1984 with a bachelor
degree in Communications. I received a second bachelor degree,
magna cum laude, in 1985, for my Applied Politics major.
For the next three years I used my undergraduate degrees, first
working as the Political Director for a consulting firm in Maryland
and then as a customer service representative for Fidelity
Investments in Salt Lake City.
I knew from the time I was in high school that I wanted to be an
attorney, and more specifically that I wanted to be a prosecutor.
In 1988, I entered the University of Utah College of Law. As a
law student, I concentrated on criminal law, which included a
clinical program with the Salt Lake County Attorney's Office
where I prosecuted a variety of misdemeanor cases, including
two jury trials.
I married my wife, Laura, while living in Utah, and we raised our
son there until I graduated from law school.
Following law school, I returned to Nevada in 1991. Mills Lane,
then a district judge, gave me the best career advice I received
from anyone. Judge Lane told me that the best thing I could do
as a young prosecutor would be to get a job with a rural district
attorney.
I took Judge Lane's advice and in February, 1992, became a
Deputy District Attorney in Humboldt County. Within six months
of my arrival, I successfully prosecuted my first felony jury trial
and wrote my first appellate brief for the Nevada Supreme Court.
After 18 months there, and being named Chief Criminal Deputy
District Attorney, I became Assistant District Attorney for
Pershing County. There I was directly involved in all criminal
prosecutions.
Three months after I arrived, Nevada Highway Patrol Trooper
Carlos Borland was shot and killed outside of Lovelock.
I prepared the criminal complaint against his killer, Michael
Sonner, as well as the notice that we were seeking the death
penaty.
After Sonner was convicted and sentenced to death, I wrote the
State's appellate brief and argued the State's case for upholding
Sonner's conviction in front of the Nevada Supreme Court.
In 1997, then Attorney General Frankie Sue Del Papa hired me
for her office's Special Prosecutions Unit. When she hired me,
this unit had two major responsibilities:
For the next ten years, I acted as lead prosecutor on numerous
cases, including two homicides at the Ely State Prison.
During the same period, I represented the state in hundreds of
habeas corpus cases, which included arguing in front of the
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on over 30 occasions.
In 2005, I was promoted to Senior Deputy Attorney General and
named Capital Case Coordinator. I personally handled the
litigation for 12 capital cases and tracked the litigation for all of
the others. I also coordinated and taught at a regional
symposium on capital punishment.
In 2007, I was offered the opportunity to become the northern
Nevada prosecutor for the Workers Compensation Fraud Unit,
which, as its name implies, involves prosecuting individuals and
businesses engaging in fraudulent workers compensation
activities, as well as those involved in employment security fraud.
However, I continue to be responsible for six pending capital
cases.
During my career, I have had the privilege of appearing in 13 of
Nevada's 17 counties (including Storey) and all 9 of the state's
judicial districts.
When I am not busy with work, I enjoy time with my family,
particularly my four adorable grandsons.
I have lived here most of my life.
My father was a college professor, and he moved my mom and
their young family to Nevada approximately 18 months after I was
born in 1961.
I grew up in Reno, attending local schools, and graduated from
Reno High School in 1979.
After two years at the University of Nevada, Reno, I transferred
to Westminster College of Salt Lake City. I graduated from
Westminster College summa cum laude in 1984 with a bachelor
degree in Communications. I received a second bachelor degree,
magna cum laude, in 1985, for my Applied Politics major.
For the next three years I used my undergraduate degrees, first
working as the Political Director for a consulting firm in Maryland
and then as a customer service representative for Fidelity
Investments in Salt Lake City.
I knew from the time I was in high school that I wanted to be an
attorney, and more specifically that I wanted to be a prosecutor.
In 1988, I entered the University of Utah College of Law. As a
law student, I concentrated on criminal law, which included a
clinical program with the Salt Lake County Attorney's Office
where I prosecuted a variety of misdemeanor cases, including
two jury trials.
I married my wife, Laura, while living in Utah, and we raised our
son there until I graduated from law school.
Following law school, I returned to Nevada in 1991. Mills Lane,
then a district judge, gave me the best career advice I received
from anyone. Judge Lane told me that the best thing I could do
as a young prosecutor would be to get a job with a rural district
attorney.
I took Judge Lane's advice and in February, 1992, became a
Deputy District Attorney in Humboldt County. Within six months
of my arrival, I successfully prosecuted my first felony jury trial
and wrote my first appellate brief for the Nevada Supreme Court.
After 18 months there, and being named Chief Criminal Deputy
District Attorney, I became Assistant District Attorney for
Pershing County. There I was directly involved in all criminal
prosecutions.
Three months after I arrived, Nevada Highway Patrol Trooper
Carlos Borland was shot and killed outside of Lovelock.
I prepared the criminal complaint against his killer, Michael
Sonner, as well as the notice that we were seeking the death
penaty.
After Sonner was convicted and sentenced to death, I wrote the
State's appellate brief and argued the State's case for upholding
Sonner's conviction in front of the Nevada Supreme Court.
In 1997, then Attorney General Frankie Sue Del Papa hired me
for her office's Special Prosecutions Unit. When she hired me,
this unit had two major responsibilities:
- prosecuting state employees and state prisoners, as well as
cases referred to the Attorney General by various District
Attorneys.
- representing the state when prisoners challenge their
criminal convictions in federal court, through what is known
as a writ of habeas corpus. This includes Nevada's most
notorious criminals, including those on death row.
For the next ten years, I acted as lead prosecutor on numerous
cases, including two homicides at the Ely State Prison.
During the same period, I represented the state in hundreds of
habeas corpus cases, which included arguing in front of the
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on over 30 occasions.
In 2005, I was promoted to Senior Deputy Attorney General and
named Capital Case Coordinator. I personally handled the
litigation for 12 capital cases and tracked the litigation for all of
the others. I also coordinated and taught at a regional
symposium on capital punishment.
In 2007, I was offered the opportunity to become the northern
Nevada prosecutor for the Workers Compensation Fraud Unit,
which, as its name implies, involves prosecuting individuals and
businesses engaging in fraudulent workers compensation
activities, as well as those involved in employment security fraud.
However, I continue to be responsible for six pending capital
cases.
During my career, I have had the privilege of appearing in 13 of
Nevada's 17 counties (including Storey) and all 9 of the state's
judicial districts.
When I am not busy with work, I enjoy time with my family,
particularly my four adorable grandsons.
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