Federal judge fatally struck by car had offered heartwarming advice in clerk interview
Senior U.S. District Judge Larry Hicks of the District of Nevada died Wednesday after he was struck by a car near the courthouse in Reno, Nevada. He was 80 years old. (Photo from the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada website)
Senior U.S. District Judge Larry Hicks of the District of Nevada died Wednesday after he was struck by a car near the courthouse in Reno, Nevada. He was 80 years old.
The driver who struck Hicks remained on the scene and was cooperating with police, according to the Reno Police Department. Publications with coverage include the Las Vegas Review-Journal, KOLO, KRNV, USA Today and the Associated Press.
Impairment did not appear to be a factor in the crash, police said.
Hicks was appointed to the federal bench in 2001 and took senior status in 2013. He was carrying an active caseload, according his federal court bio.
Hicks is a graduate of the University of Colorado’s law school. He is a former partner in the law firm now known as McDonald Carano and the former district attorney for Washoe County. His son, Christopher Hicks, is now the Washoe County district attorney.
In a statement, Christopher Hicks said his father was “a deeply admired lawyer and judge, a devoted friend, mentor and a committed servant to the administration of justice.” To his loved ones, Hicks “put nothing before family. He was a hero in all manners.”
Michael L. Reaves was set to begin work as a law clerk for Hicks in August. He wrote about his interview in a letter to the Reno Gazette Journal.
“Instead of a stuffy back-and-forth about the federal rules of civil procedure, we spent much of the interview talking about my childhood,” Reaves wrote.
“The judge wanted to know what it was like to be raised by a single mother in the East Bay of Northern California, and he asked how my brother’s battle with homelessness changed my perspective on the law. Within minutes of meeting, I knew this man was genuinely interested in where I came from and, importantly, what kind of lawyer I aspire to become. His philosophy of life was admirable—achieving balance between family, work and self-improvement. Again and again, the judge reminded me that family comes first and to ‘follow my heart’ when experiencing personal or professional ambivalence.”
