Nevada Supreme Court sides with Las Vegas Review-Journal's challenge against judge

Spencer Levering, Las Vegas Review-Journal on Jan 28, 2026

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LAS VEGAS — The Nevada Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled in favor of the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s challenge to a judge’s decision ejecting three of the newspaper’s journalists from witnessing an alleged victim testify in Nathan Chasing Horse’s sexual assault trial.

The challenge, filed Tuesday, argued that District Judge Jessica Peterson’s actions were a demand for editorial control over court proceedings. The filing asked the Nevada Supreme Court for emergency relief to make the trial court rescind existing prior restraints, prohibit the court from entering additional prior restraints and prohibit the court from banning Review-Journal reporters from Chasing Horse’s trial.

A panel of three justices ordered to Peterson to not exclude Review-Journal reporters from the trial for not agreeing to her decorum order and to annul her order barring the Review-Journal from publishing the identity of an alleged victim. The ruling was signed by Chief Justice Douglas Herndon, Justice Elissa Cadish and Justice Lidia Stiglich.

“Petitioners argue that the district court manifestly abused its discretion in several respects, including by issuing an unconstitutional restraint and violating its right of access to the court. We agree,” the justices wrote.

Peterson had removed journalists Noble Brigham, Akiya Dillon and Bizuayehu Tesfaye from the courtroom on Jan. 21 after they refused to agree to not publish the name of an alleged victim of Nathan Chasing Horse. Executive Editor Glenn Cook previously said the newspaper had no intention to publish the alleged victim’s name but that the decision belongs to the press instead of the courts.

In addition to its order, the court indicated that because the issue has statewide implications, it intends to issue an opinion further detailing its decision.

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