Tegan Machnich

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Tegan Christine Machnich

Nonpartisan

Elections and appointments

Last election

June 9, 2020

Education

Bachelor's

Johns Hopkins University, 2006

Law

University of Illinois College of Law, 2009

Personal

Birthplace

Park Ridge, Ill.

Profession

Attorney

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Tegan Christine Machnich ran for election for the Department 15 judge of the Nevada 8th Judicial District Court. She lost in the primary on June 9, 2020.

Machnich completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Tegan Machnich was born in Park Ridge, Illinois. She earned a bachelor's degree from Johns Hopkins University and a J.D. from the University of Illinois College of Law. Her career experience includes working as an attorney.

Elections

2020

See also: Municipal elections in Clark County, Nevada (2020)

General election

General election for Nevada 8th Judicial District Court Department 15

Incumbent Joseph Hardy Jr. won election in the general election for Nevada 8th Judicial District Court Department 15 on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Joseph Hardy Jr. (Nonpartisan)	100.0	672,903

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 672,903
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for Nevada 8th Judicial District Court Department 15

Incumbent Joseph Hardy Jr. defeated Tegan Christine Machnich and Adam Breeden in the primary for Nevada 8th Judicial District Court Department 15 on June 9, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Joseph Hardy Jr. (Nonpartisan)	57.0	158,857
		Tegan Christine Machnich (Nonpartisan)	31.2	87,065
		Adam Breeden (Nonpartisan)	11.8	32,837

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 278,759
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Campaign themes

2020

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Tegan Christine Machnich completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Machnich's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am currently a Chief Deputy Public Defender who is running for Judge, having served our community in the Public Defender's office for the last 9 years. Prior to that, I worked at a large civil firm in Las Vegas. The Judicial position I am running for hears both civil and criminal law - I have experience in both areas. I've also appeared before our courts on a daily/weekly basis for the last 9 years and tried around 40 jury trials. Currently, I am on one of the specialty trial teams specializing in cases carrying potential life sentences.

I obtained by Bachelor's Degree from The Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD. While there, I was on the Varsity Track & Field team and a member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma Fraternity.

Subsequently, I graduated cum laude with my law degree from University of Illinois College of Law. During law school, I qualified and competed on the Trial Team.

While in law school, I clerked for a state court judge in Illinois. Following law school, I had the honor of clerking for the ACLU of Nevada.

I moved to Nevada because it offered the opportunity to excel at my career and appeared to be a place where hard work, talent and skill were rewarded more than family connections and money.

I am a wife, and mother of two.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• I believe judges should follow the law regardless of what party has more power or which position is most popular.
• I believe judges should rule in a clear and timely manner, so that time and money are not wasted.
• I think judges should be on the bench because of their experience and hard work, not because they come from a politically connected family.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am passionate about protecting individual rights and liberties - something that translates well to taking the bench. As a criminal defense attorney representing the indigent members of our community, I have spent years asking our courts to hold everyone to the appropriate standard. That is something I will do as a judge.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I look up to my dad, my college track coach, and my team chiefs at the Public Defender's Office. All of them led, taught, worked with and shaped me into the woman I am today.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

To be as fair as possible, and apply the law, regardless of personal feelings and politics.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I would like to leave a legacy of fairness - one where I am looked back upon as someone who preserved the due process, and individual rights and liberties of those who came before her. I would also like to be looked back upon as a good friend and mother.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

The fall of the Berlin Wall. I remember listening to the news coverage on the radio riding with my mother. I don't want to date myself.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I worked in the technology department at my high school, helping teachers and students navigate the computer systems.

What is your favorite book? Why?

Ender's Game - I love Science Fiction.

How would you describe your legal philosophy?

I would describe my legal philosophy as one based on fairness and equal treatment under the law.

Is there a particular judge, past or present, whom you admire?

Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Do you believe that empathy is an important quality for a judge?

Of course. Especially when dealing with criminal cases. However, ultimately, judges must follow the letter of law regardless of their feelings when discretion isn't appropriate.

Have you ever been rated by a Bar Association? If so, what was the rating?

No

Why are you running for this particular court seat?

I am running for Dept. 15 because the incumbent was, in my opinion, clearly appointed for political reasons. I do not believe he has the experience necessary to oversee a criminal calendar. He also has an approximate 39% reversal / error rate on appeal. As a County, we deserve better.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for a judge to have previous experience in government or politics?

I do not think it is relevant.

What is your primary concern about today's legal system in your state?

I am concerned that our judges often favor the powerful over the weak, and allow themselves to be bought by special interests.

Would you be interested in serving on a higher court in the future? If so, which court appeals to you?

This is not something on my radar at this point.

Do you believe that Bar Association ratings are an accurate reflection of a judge’s ability?

Sometimes - depends on the Bar Association, the rating process and whether a payment is necessary to facilitate the rating.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

See also

2020 Elections

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External links

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Footnotes

Nevada courts

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Federal courts:

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: District of Nevada • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: District of Nevada

State courts:

Nevada Supreme Court • Nevada Court of Appeals • Nevada District Courts • Nevada Justice Courts • Nevada Municipal Courts • Clark County Family Court, Nevada

State resources:

Courts in Nevada • Nevada judicial elections • Judicial selection in Nevada