David F. Sarnowski, General Counsel and Executive Director

David F. Sarnowski is the General Counsel and Executive Director of the Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline.  The Commission is an independent Constitutional body that investigates judicial misconduct, violations of the Code of Conduct and disabilities of all Nevada judges.  He serves at the pleasure of the Commission.  Mr. Sarnowski is also responsible for the administration of the Standing Committee on Judicial Ethics and Election Practices, which was created by the Nevada Supreme Court.  He was born and raised in Hawthorne, Nevada and graduated from Mineral County High School in 1970.  Mr. Sarnowski is a 1974 graduate of the University of Santa Clara, California (B.A., History) and a 1981 graduate of the University of Santa Clara Law School (Juris Doctor Degree).  He also holds a master’s degree in Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Carlisle, Pennsylvania.  He served as General Counsel to the Nevada Industrial Commission and State Industrial Insurance System from 1981 to 1984.  He served as a Deputy Attorney General from 1984 to 1989.   He was appointed Chief Deputy Attorney General in the Criminal Justice Division in 1989 and served in that assignment until March 2002, when he was selected for his present post.  He is admitted to practice in the State of Nevada, the United States District Court for the District of Nevada, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court.  He has litigated several cases in the United States Supreme Court and has argued three times before the high court.  He has served as an instructor for classes sponsored or conducted by the Nevada Supreme Court, the State Bar of Nevada, the National Judicial College, the Association of Government Attorneys in Capital Litigation, the Nevada District Attorney’s Association, the Nevada Attorney General, the Nevada District Judges' Association, the Nevada Judges Association, the Nevada Prosecution Advisory Council, the Las Vegas Justice Court, the Clark County Family Court, and for various Peace Officer Standards and Training organizations.  In 2004, he served as a consultant to the Mongolian Judicial Discipline Commission.  He was commissioned through the Reserve Officers Training Program as a Signal Corps lieutenant and served in the Regular Army of the United States as a commissioned officer from 1974 to 1978.  During that time, he graduated from Airborne and Ranger school and was assigned to United States Army Europe.  He was a member of the United States Army Reserve and Nevada National Guard from 1978 to 2004 when he retired.  He was a commander at the platoon, company and battalion levels, and holds the permanent rank of Colonel.