Barbara F. Schifalacqua has begun serving as the first woman justice in the history of Henderson Justice Court following her unanimous appointment last month by the Clark County Commission.
After passing the Nevada bar exam in 2007, Schifalacqua began her legal career as a Deputy District Attorney for the Clark County District Attorney’s Office, where she prosecuted thousands of cases, including prosecutions of sexual assault, murder, gang-related cases, domestic violence and sex trafficking.
In 2012, Schifalacqua was promoted to Chief Deputy District Attorney, a position in which she served on various specialty teams, including the Gang Unit, the Special Victims’ Unit and the Case Assessment Unit. Before being appointed as a Hearing Master, Schifalacqua’s focus on the Special Victims’ Unit was sex trafficking. As such, she was part of the Southern Nevada Human Trafficking Task Force, working with law enforcement agencies and advocates to ensure the protection of victims and prosecution of offenders of human trafficking.
In January, Schifalacqua was appointed by the Eighth Judicial District Court to the position of Domestic Violence Temporary Protective Order Hearing Master. In this position, she handled a heavy caseload involving both Temporary and Extended Domestic Violence Protection Orders arising from domestic violence in the county. In that capacity, Schifalacqua conducted hearings, wrote judicial orders and managed courtroom staff.
In November, Schifalacqua was appointed to the Henderson Justice Court by a unanimous vote of the Clark County Commission. She replaced Judge David S. Gibson Sr., Department III, who retired.
“I am honored and grateful to have this opportunity to continue to serve the citizens of Henderson,” said Schifalacqua.
Schifalacqua, was born and raised in Milwaukee, Wis. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities in 2003. After graduating from the University of Minnesota, Schifalacqua attended Chicago-Kent College of Law and worked for Illinois Legal Aid prior to graduation. She worked as a Legal Researcher for the Nevada Attorney General’s Office before taking the bar exam.
Schifalacqua has lived in Henderson the last 17 years and does so with her husband, two children, two dogs, multiple fish and an Artic Western Hognose snake.
Henderson Justice Court hears motor vehicle and traffic citations, small claims cases not exceeding $10,000, evictions, protective orders, misdemeanors and civil actions that do not exceed $15,000. In addition, Henderson Justice Court handles gross misdemeanor and felony cases from initial arrest through the preliminary hearing stage, including bail setting and probable cause determination. In 2022, the court heard nearly 14,000 cases.
Contact: Erik Pappa, Director of Public Communications, 702-455-3548; 702-378-8970; EPappa@ClarkCountyNV.gov.