Nevada Judiciary

Ms. Lindeman is the sixteenth Clerk of the Court to serve since Nevada became a state in 1864.

"It is an honor to receive this appointment," said Ms. Lindeman. "I have spent my legal career serving within the judicial system of Nevada, and I am delighted to have the opportunity to continue to be of service to the Court and ultimately to the people of Nevada."

The Clerk of the Court is responsible for all Supreme Court files and documents, manages the court's caseload and dockets, coordinates public hearings, and releases court decisions.

"I've worked with Tracie for five years while she was a supervising staff attorney on our Central Staff," said Chief Justice Mark Gibbons. "She did an outstanding job and has terrific legal and administrative abilities. The future of the Clerk's Office is in good hands."

Ms. Lindeman had been a supervising staff attorney in the criminal division of the Supreme Court's Central Legal Staff. She was responsible for capital and general criminal cases. Prior to that, she spent 10 years as supervising staff attorney for the Criminal Fast Track program.

"During the years I spent on the Court's Central Legal Staff, I learned much about the court's policies and rules of appellate procedure," she said. "I was also able to interact and build relationships with the staff from different divisions within the court by serving on various committees and projects. I think my effectiveness as Clerk will be enhanced by all of those experiences."

Ms. Lindeman started her Supreme Court career as law clerk for then-Justice Charles Springer. She also was the law clerk for then-District Judge Mario G. Recanzone in the Third Judicial District Court, covering Churchill and Lyon Counties.

She graduated from Pahrump Valley High School, received her BA Degree from Stanford University, and earned her law degree from Gonzaga University. She is a member of the Nevada and California Bar Associations.

Ms. Lindeman said she expects a smooth transition into her new position, but also expects challenges.

"With the Court's ever-increasing caseload, and new advances in technology and digital information, the Clerk's Office will undoubtedly be required to adapt and change over time," she said. "I am confident that we can build on the solid foundation already in place to meet the challenges that will arise."

She said she sees the Clerk's role as integral to the ability of the justices to resolve cases in a timely fashion.

"Because we have no intermediate appellate court, our Supreme Court has a huge caseload. There is a legal maxim that 'justice delayed is justice denied,' and the Court has made good progress in reducing the average time it takes to resolve appeals," Ms. Lindeman said. "The Clerk's Office has been involved in the Court’,s efforts to reduce its backlog, and will continue to support the efforts of the Court to streamline procedures wherever possible, without sacrificing the opportunity for meaningful review of every appeal."

Ms. Lindeman also said she is committed to keeping court information open to the public.

"Public access to the processes of the court system is important to the integrity of the judicial branch and to ensure public confidence in judicial decisions. The Nevada Supreme Court has demonstrated its commitment to public access by holding court sessions in places other than Carson City, by providing access to decisions and court rules online, and by offering podcasts of oral arguments," she said.

Ms. Lindeman is married and has two daughters. She has lived in Nevada since 1974.

Ms. Bloom, who Ms. Lindeman succeeds, served as Clerk while Nevada was the fastest grown state in the nation.

"Nevada's rapid population growth and accompanying diversification of its economy and populace has brought with it unprecedented demands on the state’,s judiciary," Ms. Bloom said. "For much of the last two decades, the Nevada Supreme Court has initiated efforts to reform the state judicial system in order to address these demands."

"My position as Clerk allowed me to provide leadership in these reform efforts by developing and implementing innovative programs and policies designed to modernize and streamline practice and procedure in the Nevada Supreme Court and the lower state courts," she continued.

Among her major accomplishments, Ms. Bloom listed automation of the court's record-keeping and decision-making processes by implementing case and document management systems, digital recordings and argument timing systems, intranet and public websites, electronic distribution of opinions, and planning for an electronic document filing system.

She was also involved in the expansion of the Supreme Court from five to seven members, and having many cases heard by three-justice panels.

"Perhaps the most daunting challenge I faced as court clerk was when the Nevada Supreme Court expanded from five to seven members and implemented a panel system for resolving cases," she said. "After obtaining legislative approval for this change in 1998, the court had just months to revise a case processing system that had operated virtually unchanged for over 150 years."

"Much of my success as the clerk of the court I attribute to the hard-work, loyalty and support of my staff. Although the office has about tripled in size since I first became clerk, the core of my staff has been with me since day one. Some, such as recently retired Chief Deputy Clerk Jeanne Richards, current Chief Deputy Clerk Linda Castillo, and my Chief Assistant Attorney Clerk Andy Horstmanshoff, actually have more tenure with the court than I do. The clerk's office would not be the well-functioning office that it is today without their dedication to the court and to me personally," Ms. Bloom said.

On leaving the office, she commented, "Change is always challenging. There is a sadness in leaving people who have been my surrogate family for more than 2 decades. But if there has been one constant during my tenure as clerk of the court, it has been change. I have spent almost all of my professional career changing the way the Nevada Supreme Court and the Clerk's Office operates. Now I am ready for a change and new professional challenges in my own life."

"My immediate plans are to learn how to cook and how to maneuver through a grocery store. I have never cooked for myself, having started working in restaurants at 14 and then marrying a man who is a wonderful chef," Ms. Bloom said. "Eventually I will return to private practice here in Nevada, but hope to spend the next year in Washington D.C. I was recently selected as a finalist for a United States Supreme Court Fellowship and, if selected, will work on Capitol Hill starting this fall."

Ms. Bloom is comfortable having Ms. Lindeman succeed her.

"Having worked with Tracie Lindeman since 1995, I know she will serve the court well," Ms. Bloom said. "She is extremely bright, enthusiastic, and as dedicated to the court as I have been. The justices have selected a terrific successor for me and can expect great things from her."

Ms. Lindeman said she knows she has big shoes to fill.

"Janette Bloom has set a very high standard as the Clerk of the Court," she said. "She is, without question, one of the most dedicated and competent professionals with whom I have had the pleasure to work."