Judge Cedric Kerns created and is the presiding judge of Las Vegas Municipal Court’s Young Offender (Y.O.) Court, a specialty drug court that focuses on young offenders with drug offenses. He was also instrumental in the development and implementation of H.O.P.E. Court, a specialty drug court that focuses on the special needs of habitual offenders. Additionally, Judge Kerns is the Las Vegas Municipal Court liaison for Domestic Violence offenders. Judge Kerns received his Juris Doctor in 1992 from the University of San Diego. He was elected to Las Vegas Municipal Court, Department 5 in June of 1997. Prior to being elected, Judge Kerns was a partner and co-founder of the Law Office of Kerns and Lybarger, where he focused on criminal defense and domestic law. While in private practice, he was an appointed member of the Nevada Supreme Court Task Force for the “Study of Economic Bias” in the justice system. Judge Kerns is a member of the American Judges Association where he has served as delegate and governor representing the state of Nevada. He is also a member of the Nevada Judges Association where he served as a member of the Board of Directors as well as the President in 2005. Judge Kerns was chosen as Outstanding Judge of the Year for 2006 by the Nevada Judges Association. He is a member of the Judicial Council of the State of Nevada, which serves as an administrative arm of the Supreme Court, and the Court Funding Commission of the Supreme Court, which examines the resources necessary for the operation of the judiciary. In 2013, Judge Kerns received the Nevada Supreme Court’s Legacy of Justice Award for his pioneering work in the area of specialty drug courts. He is the first Municipal Court judge to receive this honor.