In the late 1800’s my great grandparents settled in North Dakota claiming farmland as part of the Homestead Act. Over the years they grew wheat, ranched, auctioned, and created small businesses. I was born close to our family farm in Williston, North Dakota in 1975 and moved to Billings, Montana when I was five.
In 1977 my father moved to Alaska to work on the Trans-Alaska Pipeline leaving my mother to raise my sister and me. Over the years my mother worked a variety of jobs including cleaning homes, selling produce and driving sugar beet trucks during harvest season.
My mother always stressed the value of hard work and the importance of education. Although I worked a number of jobs in high school and participated in team sports and extracurricular activities, my mom ensured that nothing distracted from the goal of having me be the first in my family to graduate college.
After high-school I attended the University of Montana in Missoula, Montana for my undergraduate degree and then went on to the University of Montana School of Law. In 2001, after working and paying my way through school, I earned my law degree.
Following graduation, my husband and I married and moved to Reno, Nevada. This allowed me to pursue my career in family law. Between 2001 and 2005, I served as a law clerk to judges Deborah Schumacher, Charles McGee, and Frances Doherty of the Second Judicial District Court, Family Division.
After the birth of our son in 2005, I left the Family Court and began working in private practice at the law offices of Fahrendorf, Viloria, Oliphant & Oster LLP and later with Silverman, Decaria & Kattelman Chtd. I was fortunate to have colleagues who mentored me and shared my passion for family law and the values of hard work and integrity.
In 2013, I was appointed to the bench as a Court Master with the Second Judicial District Court, Family Division.
Each year I preside over thousands of hearings. Although I handle primarily juvenile delinquency matters, I also preside over child support, temporary and extended orders of protection, adult guardianship, child abuse and neglect, and other general family law matters.
My family and I call Nevada home. I am deeply committed to this community, public service, and ensuring that the judicial system hears and serves the people who come before it.
PAID FOR BY DIXIE GROSSMAN FOR JUDGE