Department XXII
Susan H. Johnson
Office - (702) 671-0547
Fax - (702) 671-0571
Law Clerk - (702) 671-0551
Email - Dept22LC@clarkcountycourts.us
Location - RJC Courtroom 15D
Regional Justice Center
200 Lewis Ave., Las Vegas, NV 89155
SUSAN JOHNSON initially was elected to serve as State District Court Judge, Department 22, on January 2, 2007, and thereafter, overwhelmingly re-elected three times, in 2008, 2014 and 2020, with 82%, 75% and 70% of the vote, respectively. She currently hears civil, business court and construction defect matters. Judge Johnson has been a resident of the greater Las Vegas area since November 1963. She graduated from Ed. W. Clark High School in 1977 and UNLV in 1982, where she acquired her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a dual major in public accounting and investment finance. She thereafter graduated from McGeorge School of Law, University of the Pacific, in 1985, and has been a member of the Nevada and California State Bars since 1985 and 1986, respectively. Judge Johnson is also admitted to practice before the United States District Court, District of Nevada (since 1985), Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals (since 1986), and United States Supreme Court (since 1989).
Before assuming the bench, Judge Johnson, then an attorney of over 21 years, was A-V rated by Martindale-Hubbell, and the President/Sole Shareholder of her own law firm, whose practice included civil litigation, personal injury, security and/or premises claims, domestic or family law, wills and simple estate planning. Her background also includes insurance and civil rights defense, and having an active trial practice. Judge Johnson also acted as an arbitrator who has rendered decisions in over 600 matters, mediator, Settlement Judge for the Nevada Supreme Court, short-trial judge for the Eighth Judicial District Court, Judge Pro Tempore for Las Vegas Justice Court, as well as Hearing Master in child support cases. She has taught several CLE courses and spoken at various seminars/conferences during her career, including, but not limited to that dealing with arbitration, constructional defects, rules of civil procedure, professional responsibility, personal injury cases from start to finish and uninsured/underinsured motorist issues.
Judge Johnson is also actively involved in the community. She is a past president of the Howard D. McKibben Chapter of the American Inns of Court, the Rotary Club of Green Valley and Nevada Rotary Foundation, and past Foundation Chair for Rotary District 5300 and has served more than 15 years as Foundation Chair for the Rotary Club of Green Valley. Judge Johnson also currently holds or has held memberships/offices in various other organizations, such as the Daughters of the American Revolution, Junior League of Las Vegas (Active and Sustainers), National Association of Women Business Owners and Henderson Chamber of Commerce to name a few. She has been married to District Court Judge Eric Johnson for over thirty-six (36) years, and they have two adult daughters, Tess and Emma. When not attending her judicial duties, Judge Johnson can be found running half-marathons with her family and friends throughout the country and internationally.
Before assuming the bench, Judge Johnson, then an attorney of over 21 years, was A-V rated by Martindale-Hubbell, and the President/Sole Shareholder of her own law firm, whose practice included civil litigation, personal injury, security and/or premises claims, domestic or family law, wills and simple estate planning. Her background also includes insurance and civil rights defense, and having an active trial practice. Judge Johnson also acted as an arbitrator who has rendered decisions in over 600 matters, mediator, Settlement Judge for the Nevada Supreme Court, short-trial judge for the Eighth Judicial District Court, Judge Pro Tempore for Las Vegas Justice Court, as well as Hearing Master in child support cases. She has taught several CLE courses and spoken at various seminars/conferences during her career, including, but not limited to that dealing with arbitration, constructional defects, rules of civil procedure, professional responsibility, personal injury cases from start to finish and uninsured/underinsured motorist issues.
Judge Johnson is also actively involved in the community. She is a past president of the Howard D. McKibben Chapter of the American Inns of Court, the Rotary Club of Green Valley and Nevada Rotary Foundation, and past Foundation Chair for Rotary District 5300 and has served more than 15 years as Foundation Chair for the Rotary Club of Green Valley. Judge Johnson also currently holds or has held memberships/offices in various other organizations, such as the Daughters of the American Revolution, Junior League of Las Vegas (Active and Sustainers), National Association of Women Business Owners and Henderson Chamber of Commerce to name a few. She has been married to District Court Judge Eric Johnson for over thirty-six (36) years, and they have two adult daughters, Tess and Emma. When not attending her judicial duties, Judge Johnson can be found running half-marathons with her family and friends throughout the country and internationally.
Courtroom Protocol
No weapons are allowed. There is no eating, drinking, smoking or chewing gum in any courtroom.
Proper courtroom attire is required. No shorts or tank tops are allowed in the courtroom, shoes are required. T-shirts, which show offensive slogans or pictures, are not allowed. Hats should be removed before entering the courtroom.
While in the courtroom, sit quietly when court is in session. Do not talk or whisper. The court proceedings are being recorded by a court recorder and noise can interfere with the preparation of this important record.
All beepers, cellular telephones, and electronic devices must be turned off before entering the courtroom. Avoid reading newspapers, or books in the courtrooms, particularly if your use of such material may be a distraction to others.
Attorneys are expected to maintain the highest ethical standards at all times, and to strictly adhere to the opportunities, requirements, limitations, and deadlines set by the judge. All counsel are to be punctual for all conferences, hearings and trials. They are to be civil to one another as well as to all parties, witnesses, and court personnel - whether in front of a jury or the court.
Current Assignment
- Department 22 is currently assigned to hear Criminal, Civil and Construction Defect cases.
- Department 22 hears its Criminal matters on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9 a.m. and its Civil motions on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10:30 a.m.
- Department 22 schedules Civil status check hearings and/or Pretrial Conferences/Calendar Calls on Wednesdays, 8:30 a.m.
- Department 22 does not hold or schedule a regular chambers calendar. All matters are required to be scheduled on the Department's regular motion calendars heard Tuesday and Thursday mornings. See above.
- Commissioner Bonnie Bulla
- Department 22 uses a Court Recorder, Norma Ramirez
- You may appear using Zoom for any matter that falls under “Presumptively Virtual” in Supreme Court Order ADKT 0581. All other matters require in-person appearances.
- Department 22 does not require telephonic appearance be made via Court Call. However, telephonic appearance requests should be made by fax, copied on all counsel, at least one (1) judicial day prior to the scheduled appearance.
- Generally speaking, Department 22 will grant unopposed motions in advance of the hearing date, pursuant to EDCR 2.20(e). Counsel is not required to appear for unopposed motions if they are granted by Minute Order sent by the Department to the parties via facsimile prior to the hearing.
- Department 22 requires a 3-Day Notice under NRCP 55(b)(2) regardless of whether an appearance has been made by the party against whom a default judgment is sought and it must not be combined with a Notice of Intent to Take Default.
- All Default Judgments seeking less than $60,000 may be submitted to chambers. All Default Judgments seeking more than $60,000 must be scheduled on the Department´s regular motion calendar. Two copies of the exhibits intended to be used at prove-up hearing must be provided to the chambers 5 days before the hearing. Default Judgment Exhibits must comply with Department 22’s exhibit guideline. Counsel should contact the law clerk to obtain the guideline in advance. Failure to provide courtesy copies will result in your hearing being vacated.
- While the Court prefers witnesses testifying live at the prove-up hearing, telephonic testimony is acceptable. A request to appear telephonically should be emailed, faxed, or dropped off at the department with the following information: case name; case number; date and time of the hearing; subject of the hearing; party being represented; and counsel’s name and direct phone number.
- Department 22 requires proposed orders to be submitted to chambers within ten (10) days of notification of the ruling, pursuant to EDCR 7.21. Counsel designated to prepare the order is required to provide a draft to opposing counsel(s) prior to submission. Non-drafting counsel is not required to sign the order prior to submission. Disputes may be resolved by submission to chambers of competing orders, with an explanatory letter, copied on all parties.
- In District Court Department XXII, for competing orders, all parties need to provide what they think is proper along with any correspondence from opposing counsel regarding what they don't agree on. The Law Clerk will then have to listen to the tape of that hearing and decide if either of them are correct and if so, give to Judge to sign. If none are correct, they "may" all be returned for corrections, or in some instances Judge will do the Order herself.
- District Court Department XXII doesn't accept any electronic signatures. We will accept them by facsimile as long as we have at least one original signature.
- Department 22 uses a modified version "Arizona Method” of jury selection. The presiding judge initially conducts voir dire of the entire venire seated in the back of the courtroom. After questioning, the judge meets with counsel at the bench to discuss whether any prospective jurors should be excused for cause. Prospective jurors initially passing “cause” challenges are then seated in the Jury Box in the order of their Badge Numbers. Attorneys are then permitted to conduct voir dire examination of the jury in mass, or on an individual basis. After initial questioning, attorneys meet with the judge at the bench to discuss whether any of these prospective jurors should be excused for cause. Once these prospective jurors are passed for cause, the parties exercise their peremptory challenges. Excusals for cause and peremptory challenges are discussed only at the Bench and excused jurors are not informed as to the reason for their discharge. At the attorneys' option, the alternate jurors can be selected blindly, whereby no juror knows which members are regular or alternate.
- Courtesy copy must be delivered by the MOVING PARTY at least 5 judicial days before the date of hearing, along with all related briefing, affidavits, and exhibits. See EDCR 2.20 (g). This includes oppositions if opposing counsel fails to deliver their own courtesy copies. Furthermore, all exhibits attached to pleadings must clearly show the exhibit number immediately preceding the exhibit. If a courtesy copy is delivered to the Judge’s chambers, all exhibits attached MUST BE clearly divided by a tab. See EDCR 7.20(d). Failure to follow EDCR 2.20(g) and/or EDCR 7.20(d) may result in your motion being VACATED.