North Las Vegas justice of the peace resigning after 18 years in post

Mona Shield Payne / Special to the Sun

Justice of the Peace Stephen J. Dahl speaks Wednesday during the arraignment of the six defendants charged in connection with the murder of Metro Police Officer Trevor Nettleton. Nettleton was fatally shot in his garage Nov. 19 during what police have called an attempted robbery.

By Cristina Chang

Friday, Aug. 31, 2012 | 9:46 a.m.

North Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Stephen Dahl is resigning to accept a position with the Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada, according to a Clark County news release issued Friday.

The resignation, effective Sept. 7, comes a year after Dahl announced he would not seek re-election for a fourth term in Department One in North Las Vegas Justice Court. He was first elected to the office in November 1994.

Current and pro tempore judges well fill out the remainder of Dahl’s term, the release said. Voters will elect a new judge in November to fill the next term, which will begin Jan. 7, 2013.

“I would like to thank the people of North Las Vegas for allowing me to serve in this position for almost 18 years,” Dahl said in his resignation letter. “I hope that I have been able to give back to the community at least some portion of what has been given to me during my years in office.”

Dahl will be serving under the Legal Aid Center’s Children’s Attorneys Project, which provides legal assistance to abused and neglected children in the foster care system.