Michele "Shell" Mercer

Received Teamsters Nevada's 2026 endorsement for Family Court Department Z.

October 3, 2026

Source: teamstersnv.org

Received the Nevada State AFL-CIO's 2026 general-election endorsement for Family Court Department Z.

September 29, 2026

Source: media.linkedunion.com

Received Operative Plasterers' and Cement Masons' Local 797's endorsement for Family Court Department Z in the 2026 general election.

September 14, 2026

Source: media.linkedunion.com

Received the Las Vegas Police Protective Association's endorsement for Family Court Department Z in 2026.

August 26, 2026

Source: cdn.prod.website-files.com

Won a Nevada Supreme Court order, 6-1, barring the county from printing her only opponent's name for Department Z. The court found Amber Candelaria's emailed candidacy papers did not meet state rules. A first challenge in district court had failed.

August 20, 2026

Source: acis-api.nvcourts.gov

Received Culinary Workers Union Local 226's endorsement for Family Court Department Z in the 2026 primary. The union endorsed her again for the general election.

May 9, 2026

Source: culinaryunion226.org

Received the Southern Nevada Central Labor Council's endorsement for Family Court Department Z in the 2026 primary. Nevada's state labor federation recognized the endorsement.

May 1, 2026

Source: media.linkedunion.com

Received the Joint Veterans endorsement from Veterans In Politics International for Family Court Department Z in 2026.

March 7, 2026

Source: veteransinpolitics.org

In the Review-Journal's 2025 lawyer survey, 48.1 percent of 79 respondents favored keeping her on the bench. Average scores out of five were 3.18 for legal ability, 3.6 for court management and 3.83 for integrity.

December 7, 2025

Source: reviewjournal.com

The Nevada Court of Appeals upheld her custody ruling in Jeffery v. Beckwith but reversed her child support and health insurance orders. It found she set travel costs apart from the child support math.

July 24, 2025

Source: acis-api.nvcourts.gov

The Nevada Court of Appeals upheld most of her divorce rulings in Rosiak v. Rosiak, including an unequal split of debts after the husband hid income. It set aside her child support ruling on a Social Security payment, the $63,955 arrears figure, attorney fees and part of a house debt order.

February 22, 2024

Source: acis-api.nvcourts.gov

The Nevada Court of Appeals upheld her finding that a father was willfully underemployed and her child support order based on his likely income. It reversed her attorney fee award because she did not explain it or weigh the parents' income gap.

November 15, 2023

Source: acis-api.nvcourts.gov

Won election as the first judge of Clark County Family Court Department Z in the November 3, 2020 general election. Her six-year term began January 4, 2021.

November 3, 2020

Source: clarkcountynv.gov

As a hearing officer for Clark County's Department of Family Services, upheld the agency's finding that a mother physically abused her child.

December 15, 2014

Source: acis-api.nvcourts.gov

As a public member of Nevada's chiropractic licensing board, moved to find that a chiropractor with domestic violence convictions broke board rules. She then seconded a vote to suspend his license indefinitely, which passed.

May 31, 2014

Source: chirobd.nv.gov

Was publicly reprimanded by the Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline, with her consent. She tried to help a former client and friend in another judge's case, and took over 20 months to finish a child support ruling.

May 30, 2024Unfavorable on Impartiality

Source: judicial.nv.gov

The Nevada Court of Appeals upheld her orders enforcing a divorce decree against an ex-husband and making him pay his ex-wife's attorney fees.

April 29, 2026Favorable on Legal Competence

Source: acis-api.nvcourts.gov

The Nevada Court of Appeals reversed her denial of an imprisoned father's request for contact with his children. It found she erred by ruling without an evidentiary hearing and by treating the issue as already decided.

June 10, 2025Unfavorable on Legal Competence

Source: acis-api.nvcourts.gov

The Nevada Court of Appeals upheld her order giving a father primary custody after she found the mother turned the child against him and blocked therapy. It also upheld her refusal to remove the parenting coordinator.

December 18, 2024Favorable on Legal Competence

Source: acis-api.nvcourts.gov

The Nevada Court of Appeals upheld her orders setting aside a default custody decree and giving a mother primary custody. The appeals court noted her findings on the father's domestic violence.

November 15, 2024Favorable on Legal Competence

Source: acis-api.nvcourts.gov

The Nevada Court of Appeals upheld her order changing child custody after the mother was arrested for domestic violence against the father at the children's school.

October 21, 2024Favorable on Legal Competence

Source: acis-api.nvcourts.gov

The Nevada Court of Appeals upheld her denial of a father's request that the mother pay his attorney fees in a divorce and custody case.

October 11, 2024Favorable on Legal Competence

Source: acis-api.nvcourts.gov

Was publicly reprimanded by the Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline, with her consent. She tried to help a former client and friend in another judge's case, and took over 20 months to finish a child support ruling.

May 30, 2024Unfavorable on Legal Competence

Source: judicial.nv.gov

The Nevada Court of Appeals reversed part of her child support order. Both parents agreed she miscalculated the back support and interest owed, and the case went back for a new calculation.

April 19, 2024Unfavorable on Legal Competence

Source: acis-api.nvcourts.gov

The Nevada Court of Appeals reversed her denial of a wife's request for attorney fees in a divorce. It found she did not consider that the husband earned far more than the wife.

January 30, 2024Unfavorable on Legal Competence

Source: acis-api.nvcourts.gov

The Nevada Court of Appeals upheld her decision denying a mother's request to move the children to Maryland and giving the father primary custody of both children.

March 24, 2023Favorable on Legal Competence

Source: acis-api.nvcourts.gov

The Nevada Supreme Court reversed her order denying a mother's request to change child custody. It found she wrongly refused to hear evidence from before the divorce decree and decided disputed facts without an evidentiary hearing.

May 12, 2022Unfavorable on Legal Competence

Source: acis-api.nvcourts.gov

Was admitted to practice law in Nevada by the State Bar of Nevada (Bar No. 6742).

October 14, 1998Favorable on Legal Competence

Source: nvbar.org

Was publicly reprimanded by the Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline, with her consent. She tried to help a former client and friend in another judge's case, and took over 20 months to finish a child support ruling.

May 30, 2024

Source: judicial.nv.gov