Growing up in Southern Nevada, I learned the importance of community and service. Before my father joined the Marine Corps, he was a proud retail clerks union member, which instilled in me a deep respect for working people and collective advocacy—values that later guided me as a prosecutor in Carson City, where I helped colleagues organize themselves to promote fairness and professionalism within the District Attorney’s Office.
While serving in the Marines, my father met my mother in the Philippines. She was born in the town of La Paz in the Tarlac province and later moved to Manila before eventually settling in Subic Bay, where their paths crossed. After immigrating to the United States, she raised me and my younger siblings surrounded by Filipino culture. Our home was filled with the smells of adobo, pancit, and lumpia, and kare-kare quickly became my favorite dish. TFC was always playing on the television, and there were always SkyFlakes in the pantry.
When I was young, our family lived on Oʻahu, first in Kāneʻohe on the windward side of the island and later in Pearl City, where I attended Pearl City Elementary School. Some of my earliest memories are of the beaches, the beauty of the island, and the aloha spirit that shaped how people treated one another with kindness, respect, and community. When my father’s final duty station brought our family to Nellis Air Force Base, Sunrise Mountain became the first place I truly called home.
After graduating from Eldorado High School, the Pell Grant and the Millennium Scholarship allowed me to pursue a bachelor’s degree from UNLV. I then commissioned as an Army Officer, which provided me a pathway to attend the UNLV Boyd School of Law, where I met my wife. After serving four years in the Army JAG Corps, we returned to Nevada to raise our family. I am the proud father of three busy children and two large rescue dogs.
Today, I work as a prosecutor in the Clark County District Attorney’s Office and a Major in the Nevada Army National Guard. Growing up here, working here, and raising my family here has given me a profound understanding and appreciation of our community that fuels why I’m seeking to serve from the bench.
As a prosecutor, I’ve handled thousands of criminal cases—from misdemeanors to the most serious felonies. My experience includes violent crimes, special-victims cases, and cases involving loss of life. I’ve tried many cases before juries and worked closely with victims, families, law enforcement, and forensic professionals. That work has taught me the importance of protecting public safety while also safeguarding the constitutional rights of every person who enters a courtroom.
I also know that our courtrooms are more than criminal law, and I know that in most cases, people are coming to court to deal with some of the worst moments of their lives. I believe that every person who has to navigate our legal systems for any reason should feel that the service and experience provided by the court itself was the easiest part of their legal troubles. Everyone deserves to be heard, have their questions answered, and leave understanding what happened and why.
While serving as a military attorney in the Army, it was my job to advise both commanders and soldiers that were not lawyers and ensure they understood their legal options. I gained valuable experience on both sides of the criminal justice system, prosecuting and serving as defense counsel. I learned how to evaluate facts carefully, make fair decisions under pressure, and lead with integrity—skills that directly translate to the bench.
My public service includes work in the Nevada Attorney General’s Office and the Nevada Governor’s Office, where I handled regulatory, legal, and policy issues affecting Nevada families and businesses. This gave me an understanding of how laws are made, enforced, and applied in the real world.
I continue to serve in the Nevada Army National Guard as an Armor Officer. I believe that it is the role of a leader to mentor, assist and strengthen every soldier reporting to you. My military service reinforces my commitment to accountability, fairness, and respect for every individual.
I’m running for judge because while you’re entitled to a jury of your peers, I believe that in that same vein judges should be our fellow community members with lived experiences that see, value and understand your lived experiences. I am committed to applying the law with integrity, listening carefully to every case, and ensuring that justice is administered fairly for all members of our community.
Alex Quagge is a member of the Army National Guard. Use of his military rank, job titles, and photographs in uniform does not imply endorsement by the Department of the Army or the DoD.