Erika Mendoza

Received the Clark County Prosecutors Association's endorsement for District Court Department 27 in 2024.

September 30, 2026

Source: clarkcountyprosecutors.org

Received the Nevada Association of Public Safety Officers' endorsement for District Court Department 27 in 2024.

September 30, 2026

Source: napso.net

Limited evidence about attorney-arranged medical care in Flores v. Lopez. The appeals court upheld the jury's $291,000 judgment. It found no basis to overturn the judgment despite questions about some of her evidence-handling rulings.

August 25, 2026

Source: acis-api.nvcourts.gov

Refused to dismiss Cindy Trussel's injury lawsuit against Ronald Jenkins after applying pandemic pauses to the trial deadline. The Nevada Supreme Court upheld the result. It corrected her calculation of when the pandemic pause ended.

August 17, 2026

Source: acis-api.nvcourts.gov

Required Manuel Villareal's defense lawyers to file private weekly reports on work advancing his criminal case. Protected legal information was excluded. The Nevada Supreme Court declined to block her order. Its denial did not bar later challenges.

June 3, 2026

Source: acis-api.nvcourts.gov

Denied Veronica Ruvalcaba's challenge to county findings of child abuse and neglect. The appeals court upheld the result after independently reviewing the agency's evidence.

January 22, 2026

Source: acis-api.nvcourts.gov

Received Clark County Firefighters Local 1908's endorsement for District Court Department 27 in the 2024 general election.

October 11, 2024

Source: iafflocal1908.org

Received the Las Vegas Metro Police Managers and Supervisors Association's endorsement for District Court Department 27 in 2024.

October 7, 2024

Source: lvpmsa.org

Began serving as judge of Clark County District Court Department 27.

March 14, 2024

Source: nvcourts.gov

Between 2016 and 2018, taught juvenile parole and probation officers about crimes against people and property. Also taught Nevada police trainees about the laws governing searches and taking evidence.

September 30, 2026Favorable on Legal Competence

Source: nvcourts.gov

Wrote public legal reports evaluating the fatal police shootings of Jorge Gomez and Jason Dunkel.

September 30, 2026Favorable on Legal Competence

Source: nvcourts.gov

Negotiated Donte Sudduth's 2022 agreement to plead guilty to two robberies. The deal put his prison term on hold during probation. It required the Hope for Second Chances rehabilitation program.

September 30, 2026Favorable on Legal Competence

Source: nvcourts.gov

Presented theft, robbery and shooting cases against Jesse Grano to a grand jury reviewing criminal charges. Negotiated one 2022 agreement for him to plead guilty in all three cases.

September 30, 2026Favorable on Legal Competence

Source: nvcourts.gov

Led prosecutors in the September 2022 trial of Johnny Terrell and Marquan Jackson. The case concerned violent robberies on the Las Vegas Strip.

September 30, 2026Favorable on Legal Competence

Source: nvcourts.gov

Prepared and argued legal requests in the murder case against Emilio Arenas, Peyton Hemingway and Theresa Allen. Her work covered searches, evidence and defendants' rights. She did not conduct the trial.

September 30, 2026Favorable on Legal Competence

Source: nvcourts.gov

Rejected Bharat Desai's claims against Henderson and a homeowners association over flood-damaged landscaping and shared repair funds. The appeals court upheld her decisions. He lacked authority to sue for the association and failed to establish a legal duty owed to him.

August 24, 2026Favorable on Legal Competence

Source: acis-api.nvcourts.gov

Dismissed Timothy Williams's boxing-bet lawsuit because Nevada gaming regulators had authority over the dispute. The appeals court upheld dismissal but ordered her to remove language permanently barring the claims. She had not decided their merits.

August 20, 2026Unfavorable on Legal Competence

Source: acis-api.nvcourts.gov

Denied Shawquinte Hall's request to overturn his conviction over alleged failures by his lawyer. The appeals court upheld her ruling. His plea documents contradicted a claimed probation promise, and other claims lacked specific factual support.

July 30, 2026Favorable on Legal Competence

Source: acis-api.nvcourts.gov

Denied a request to temporarily block parental notification requirements for minors seeking abortions. The Nevada Supreme Court overturned her decision and ordered the temporary block. It found she used the wrong legal test for a law with criminal penalties.

May 28, 2026Unfavorable on Legal Competence

Source: acis-api.nvcourts.gov

Ended Yolanda Franco's claims that PetSmart negligently failed to prevent her injuries and was responsible for its employees' conduct. The appeals court overturned those rulings because disputed facts required a jury's review. It upheld rejection of separate hiring, training and supervision claims that Franco had not contested.

April 16, 2026Unfavorable on Legal Competence

Source: acis-api.nvcourts.gov

Sentenced Monica Brown after treating her lack of remorse as the decisive factor. The Nevada Supreme Court found this violated her right to maintain her innocence. It upheld her convictions but ordered a new sentencing before another judge.

March 26, 2026Unfavorable on Legal Competence

Source: acis-api.nvcourts.gov

Denied Cornelius Johnwell's request to overturn his conviction over alleged failures by his lawyer. The appeals court upheld her ruling. His claims lacked facts showing deficient legal help or an effect on his decision to plead guilty.

November 26, 2025Favorable on Legal Competence

Source: acis-api.nvcourts.gov

Sentenced Eric Sanjuan-Guzman to 3–10 years in prison. The appeals court upheld that sentence. It ordered her to count his time in juvenile detention toward the sentence.

November 26, 2025Unfavorable on Legal Competence

Source: acis-api.nvcourts.gov

Denied Andrew Young's request to overturn his conviction over alleged failures by his lawyer. The appeals court upheld her ruling because those claims lacked specific factual support. Other claims were barred because they missed the earlier appeal.

September 3, 2025Favorable on Legal Competence

Source: acis-api.nvcourts.gov

Argued for prosecutors when Jerry Pough asked the Nevada Supreme Court to overturn his murder conviction.

June 15, 2017Favorable on Legal Competence

Source: nvcourts.gov

Was admitted to the State Bar of Nevada.

October 6, 2011Favorable on Legal Competence

Source: nvbar.org