Biography

Suzan Baucum has deep roots here in Las Vegas

Suzan Baucum is a native Nevadan. She was born in Henderson and raised in Las Vegas. Her father, L.J. Baucum moved to Las Vegas in 1937 to work for Union Pacific Railroad as a train conductor. Her mother, Helen McDoniel, is the sister of former Henderson Mayor Estes McDoniel. Suzan is the youngest of five children. Her brother and sisters are Robert, Aleta, Charlotte and Kimberly.

Suzan attended E.W. Griffith Elementary School, Hyde Park Junior High School and Western High School. She played school sports, volleyball and track, participated in student government and focused on her studies. Suzan was an academic scholar and finished high school a year and a half early.

Suzan has the right education

Inspired by her Uncle Estes, who served as Mayor of Henderson, and fascinated by law and policy, Suzan chose to study and earn her degree in political science from Macalister College.

Suzan knew she wanted to pursue a law degree. After graduation from college, she could not immediately afford tuition for law school. She worked full time as a dance instructor and earned scholarships and financial aid to pay for law school. In 1985, Suzan began law school at the University of Idaho Law School.

Suzan flourished during law school. She served as Notes and Comments Editor of the Idaho Law Review and was selected for a competitive internship opportunity to serve as a prosecutor for the Ada County Prosecutor’s Office. Here, she prosecuted civil and criminal cases to jury trial verdict.

Suzan has proved her legal skills

After law school, Suzan returned home to Nevada to begin her professional law career. She joined a private practice where she handled criminal, personal injury, real estate and general business law.

In addition to her work in private practice, Suzan also served as a State Training Specialist, Staff Attorney, and faculty member for the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges from 1989 to 1991. In this role, Suzan administered national training programs and continuing education for juvenile and family court judges and appellate and state Supreme Court justices on how to handle child and spousal abuse and neglect cases.

She also developed a video series to train judges, social workers and lawyers on how to implement the Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act and monitored 12 ongoing model court programs. From 1989-91 she served on the faculty for the National College of Juvenile and Family Law where she provided training programs for juvenile and family court judges in conjunction with the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges.

Suzan has proved her administrative skills

The Nevada State Supreme Court created the Nevada Law Foundation (NLF) in 1983 as a non-profit organization designed to provide a means for legal representation to those victims who are legally disadvantaged, victims of domestic violence, children in need of protection and senior citizens.

After nearly a decade in existence, the Nevada Law Foundation (NLF) was underfunded and unable to accomplish the mission set by the Supreme Court. In 1991, Suzan was offered and accepted the position of Executive Director and the challenge to reform the NLF.

Suzan understands the legal community, has the ability to raise funds, and develops strong relationships. Her success is evident by the amount of grants distributed and the thousands citizens served by NLF. By 2007 and 2008, the NLF was able to distribute over $900,000 in grants – 37 times what it was able to do its first year. In 2009 over $1,000,000 in grants were raised and distributed which helped thousands of persons in need.

Suzan gets the job done

After achieving her objectives at the Nevada Law Foundation, Suzan wanted a new challenge. She found it through her service as Judge Pro Temⁱ for the Las Vegas Justice Court. She is also an active Judge Pro Tem for the Las Vegas Municipal Court and North Las Vegas Justice Court.

Suzan has built experience in courtrooms throughout the valley, where she judges anywhere between 50 to 75 court cases per day. She issues search warrants and arrest warrants, presides over arraignments and bench trials for misdemeanor cases, and presides over felony and gross misdemeanor cases.

Her on the job experience and the frequent requests for her service are proof of her abilities.

Suzan has the family and service values we need on the bench

Suzan’s passion for service goes far beyond her impressive work within the legal community and is fueled by her own love for her family. Suzan’s commitment to public service and charitable work started early. As an undergraduate student she served as a Counselor at Lincoln House, a home for unwed mothers in St. Paul, Minnesota. That same compassion and concern stays with her today.

Suzan and her husband Tod are parents of three children. She serves as a room mother and program volunteer at Our Lady of Las Vegas Catholic School. She continues her life-long love of dance by teaching dance to children and teens.

She volunteers countless hours to aid abused women and children and has served on the Board of Directors for the Child Assault Prevention Project, the Eighth Judicial District Pro Bono Foundation, volunteered for the Red Cross, Jerry Lewis Telethons, United Blood Services, the American Heart Association, and the American Cancer Society.

Suzan has also served as a Court Appointed Special Advocate for children in need of protection by the courts. She has worked with other legal professionals tirelessly for Nevada’s homeless youth.

ⁱ In law, judge pro tem refers to a judge who is sitting temporarily for another judge or to an attorney who has been appointed to serve as a judge as a substitute for a regular judge.