Hon. Connie J. Steinheimer is a judge for the Second Judicial District Court in Washoe County, Nevada. She was elected to the bench in 1992 and has retained her seat in subsequent elections.
Steinheimer received a bachelor’s degree in social psychology from the University of Nevada, Reno in 1973. She went on to earn a J.D. from Willamette University College of Law in 1979.
Her legal career includes serving as a deputy district attorney with the Washoe County District Attorney’s Office and as a civil and criminal litigation attorney in private practice (1984 to 1992).
Steinheimer also worked as a probation officer.
She is admitted to practice in Oregon and Nevada as well as with the U.S. District Court and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. She is certified as a criminal trial specialist by the National Board of Criminal Trial Advocacy.
While on the bench, she served as the chief judge of the Second Judicial District from 2008 to 2012 and was named the Short Trial Commissioner in 2009.
Her court committees have included the Budget Committee, Civil Bench/Bar Committee, Court Automated Enhancement Project, Filing Office Committee, Legislative Committee, Specialty Courts Liaison, Statistics Committee, Commission on Statewide Rules of Criminal Procedure Jury Instructions Work Group, Access to Justice Committee, and chair of the Washoe County Law Library Board.
Some of her other committees include the Foreclosure Mediation Committee, chair of the Governor’s Commission for the Training of Mandated Reporters of Child Abuse and Neglect, the Nevada Capital Case Advisory Committee, and the Nevada State Bar Criminal Practice and Procedure Committee.
Her memberships include the American Bar Association, the Nevada and Oregon Bar Associations, the Washoe County Bar Association, the American Judges Association, the National Association of Women Judges, the Nevada District Judges Association, and the Northern Nevada Women Lawyers Association.
Steinheimer has taught on various legal subjects including voir dire, ethics, managing complex litigation, criminal and civil procedure, and trial practice for the State Bar of Nevada Justice Association, the Washoe County Bar Association, the American Bar Association, and the Oregon Presiding Judges’ Conference. She is also a faculty member and past alumni of the National Judicial College.
Steinheimer is the past president of Soroptimist International of Truckee Meadows.
She is a life-long resident of Nevada and a member of Trinity Episcopal Church.