MARGARET PICKARD - DISTRICT COURT JUDGE, FAMILY DIVISION DEPARTMENT V

MEET THE CANDIDATE – Margaret Pickard

Family Court, Department V

Margaret seeks election to Family Court, Department V, to continue her work with children and families in Clark County. Margaret’s entire professional career has been devoted to protecting the interests of children caught in the legal process.

Margaret currently serves as a Hearing Master for the Eighth Judicial District Court/ Family Division, hearing cases in child abuse and neglect, as well as overseeing the Juvenile Drug Treatment Court. In 2019, the Nevada Legislature voted to move all child abuse and neglect cases heard in Family Court to elected District Court Judges. Therefore, Margaret is seeking to maintain the current caseload she oversees by running for District Court Judge in Family Court.

Margaret has extensive experience working in family law. Prior to her appointment to the court, Margaret worked as a Family Law Mediator and Parenting Coordinator, assisting parents involved in high conflict custody cases to work cooperatively to resolve timeshare disputes. In addition, Margaret brought the Cooperative Parenting program to UNLV, teaching separating and divorcing parents involved in Family Court cases how to remove their children from parental conflict. In 2011, Margaret was awarded the Peacemaker of the Year by the Mediators of Southern Nevada, for her work in this program.

From 2014-2018, Margaret served on the Executive Counsel of the Nevada State Bar’s Family Law Section. During this time, Margaret was the Co-Editor of the Nevada Family Law Report and Cochair of the Child Witness Committee, developing standardized protocols for conducting child interviews in the Family Court system. Margaret authored several articles for the Nevada Family Law Report and regularly trained Family Court judges and attorneys throughout Nevada to develop best practices in creating parenting plans and holiday schedules for separating and divorcing families.

In 2014, Margaret was recognized as one of the Top 10 Family Law Attorneys in Nevada, by the National Academy of Family Law Attorneys. Margaret is the author of several books, including The Parenting Guidebook. In 2012, Margaret and her colleague, family law attorney Stacy Rocheleau, were the hosts of the popular radio show, Divorce War Radio.

Margaret graduated from the University of California, Davis, magna cum laude, with a B.A. in Sociology. She later received her Juris Doctorate from the King Hall School of Law, at UC Davis, where she served as the Managing Editor of the UC Davis Law Review.

Since 2012, Margaret and her husband, Senator Keith Pickard, have actively worked in the Las Vegas recovery community, helping youth who are struggling with addiction. The Pickards have provided over 200 community presentations on facing and overcoming addiction.

Margaret and Keith are the parents of seven children and four grandchildren. They are true community servants.