After 30 years of work in family law, Judge Rebecca Burton will retire in January. Judge Burton leaves the District Court Family Division after eight years of service including: serving as the presiding Family Division judge and on the court Executive Committee. In a letter to the governor, the chief justice of the Nevada Supreme Court and the chief judge of the Eighth Judicial District Court, Judge Burton wrote, “For 30 years, I have been devoted to family law, actively endeavoring to serve the best interests of children, litigants and the community.”

Judge Burton who was born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota prior to coming West, said that she plans to spend more time with family and friends. “Serving as a judicial officer has been a great privilege, both challenging and rewarding. I have enjoyed immensely serving my community and working with my colleagues.”

“Judge Burton has made significant contributions as the presiding judge of the Family Division,” said District Court Chief Judge Jerry Wiese. “She will be missed and we wish her well.”

She earned a bachelor of fine arts degree from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls and her Juris Doctorate from the University of California Hastings College of the Law. She was a recipient of both the William Clarke Sanford Scholarship and the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education grant. She earned a place on the Hastings Constitutional Law Quarterly, where her work in family law was published. She practiced family law for 22 years and worked as a pro tem domestic violence commissioner for the Eighth Judicial District Court. Judge Burton also served as a mentor and on a number of committees to better the justice system for the community.