Michele Fiore is asking Nevada’s top court to move quickly on the case that has sidelined her from the Pahrump bench. In a filing submitted last Friday, her legal team urged the Nevada Supreme Court to fast-track review of her suspension, arguing that every week of delay chips away at her chances in the 2026 re-election race.
What Fiore asked the court
Fiore’s petition asks the high court for expedited review and an emergency halt to the Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline’s suspension. Her lawyers argue that without swift relief, her campaign “will be clouded by misinformation” as the candidate filing window approaches. The filing also asks the court to temporarily pause the suspension while the appeal is decided, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Conviction, pardon and suspension
A federal jury convicted Fiore in October 2024 on charges of conspiracy and multiple counts of wire fraud. Prosecutors said she diverted roughly $70,000 in donations intended for a memorial statue and instead used the money for rent, cosmetic procedures and her daughter’s wedding, according to The Associated Press. President Donald Trump later issued Fiore a full and unconditional pardon in April 2025.
Despite that pardon, the Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline suspended Fiore from the Pahrump bench in May and has since issued a series of orders in the matter, as reflected on the commission’s public decisions page. As previously reported, she remains on paid suspension while the case plays out.
Fiore's argument and her lawyer's comment
In the new filing, Fiore’s team argues that voters who see she is still suspended are likely to conclude she is either ineligible or unfit for judicial office. That perception, they say, creates “imminent and irreparable harm” to her re-election prospects and deprives the public of a fair chance to evaluate an incumbent judge. Fiore’s attorney, Paola Armeni, has called the suspension “completely unwarranted” and said Fiore “should not be suspended right now,” as per Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Legal stakes and past orders
The Commission has maintained that it can discipline judges for conduct that undermines public confidence in the judiciary even after a presidential pardon. Its online decisions log lists multiple suspension orders and related notices tied to Fiore’s case. The Nevada Supreme Court previously stepped in July with a temporary stay while Fiore’s attorneys challenged the commission’s jurisdiction, according to the commission’s public docket and decisions page.
What happens next
The Supreme Court will now decide whether to speed up briefing and rule on Fiore’s challenge before the January candidate filing window opens. If the justices agree to expedite the case, Fiore could get a decision on her suspension far sooner than under the normal schedule. If they decline, the suspension will likely remain a live issue throughout the campaign season while both sides continue their appeals and procedural fights.
