Family is a theme that continues throughout our lives. We are born into a family, usually remain part of that family, and often, start families of our own. For some of us, the families of others also become integral parts of our own lives.

All of this was true, and even more so, for Mathew Harter. As a judge, he served more than 14 years in the Family Court Division of the Clark County District Court. In his Family Court Department N, Judge Harter had to decide the types of issues that break hearts and tear apart lives: “Who will get custody of a child?” “Will a parent even be allowed to see their child?” These monumental decisions will often weigh more than deciding the largest corporate dispute case.

Judge Harter unexpectantly died on Nov. 9, 2022 in Las Vegas. He was 56. Following the judge’s passing, the Harter family encouraged donations be made to Crisis Support Services of Nevada.

His work on the Family Court bench weighed heavily on Judge Harter. In comments made in an early 2022  issue Vegas Legal Magazine, Judge Harter’s daughter Alexa Harter, recalled her father talking about the toll such decisions would take on him.

“It’s kind of stressful. I always worry that something bad might happen to one of the kids that I’ve made a decision on. I always try to (err) on the side of caution,” Mathew Harter told his daughter Alexa. “Even my wife says I internalize a lot since I’ve been a judge. I don’t talk as much. Even when I went to judicial college they said it’s a very isolating type of job, and you’ve got to watch out for that.”

Judge Harter, who lived in Logandale, Nev., had considered ways to handle the immense responsibility.

“I should do more to work on my mindfulness and stuff like that,” he told Alexa a year ago. “I just have to try to make sure that I know as much as I can about each case — so I can make the best decision.”

Family court can be a “brutal” place, Judge Harter revealed to his daughter in early 2022. Somebody is going to come out devastated. Sometimes, all parties are enraged.

“Civility?” the judge reflected on the question before responding. “Basically, there is none in family court. These people are brutal…I don’t live my life scared but I live my life aware,” the Reno-born judge said in early 2022.

Often, the rage is directed at the judge making the difficult decisions.

“I get death threats pretty regularly,” Mathew Harter admitted to his daughter Alexa in 2022. “It’s a for-real thing.”  

The profound responsibility of his position did not, however, give Judge Harter any second thoughts.

“I feel like I’m doing, yeah, one of my purposes in life,” he told daughter Alexa in early 2022 about becoming a judge.

Doing what was right for the children involved in the cases before him was always on the mind of Judge Harter, Alexa Harter told Vegas Legal in early 2022.

“I’m not perfect, no judge is perfect … I think I have a pretty good percentage (making the right decision),” concluded Mathew Harter.

A photo montage was displayed on a memorial page for Mathew Paul Harter, who was both a Bonanza High School and University of Nevada, Las Vegas graduate. The slideshow spanned the life of the father of eight: Family celebrations, vacations, graduations and other milestones are immortalized in images, along with the ordinary slices of family life. From Matthew Harter’s boyhood until the end of his life, family remained a constant.

While Mathew Harter would go on to sit on the bench in family court, the life story told in his photos could be that of any family.

Alexa Harter recounted some of her treasured childhood memories of her father in a Vegas Legal article just a year ago.

“I remember the carefree lawyer days, when he would rollerblade around the neighborhood with us in classic ’90’s fashion, gold chains and muscle tanks,” Alexa recalled fondly. “Our friends would always say that our dad was ‘cool’, that he had ‘big muscles.’”

Mathew Paul Harter was born on April 11, 1966, in Reno, Nev. He graduated Bonanza High School in 1984, and would later receive his bachelor’s degree from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Harter would go on to receive his juris doctorate by graduating cum laud from Western Michigan University (then- Thomas M. Cooley Law school) in 1994. Mathew Harter was first elected to the bench in 2008, as a Clark County District Court Family Court Division judge. He would hold that position until in death in November 2022.

Mathew Harter was survived by his wife Brandie; five sons and three daughters: Alexa Harter of Beaverton, Ore.; Jefferson (Jasmine) Harter of Thailand; Dakota McFarland of Las Vegas, Nev.; Gage (Jin) Harter of Portland, Ore.; Grahm Harter of Hood River, Ore.; Paige Harter, Ryan Harter and Chloe Harter all of Logandale, Nev.; five grandchildren: Juno, Suvi, Vally, Eywa, Shon; his mother, Mary Harter of St. George, Utah; three brothers: Steve (Shelly); Mark (Valerie) both of Las Vegas; Craig (Robin) of Ivins, Utah and sister-in-law, Lynne Harter of Temecula, Calif.. He was preceded in death by his father Alan Harter, his brother Stanley Harter and his best friend William “Marshal Bill” Datthyn.

To donate to the Crisis Support Services of Nevada, go to ccsnv.org. Those in crisis can also call the center’s number at (775) 784-8085. The Suicide Prevention Lifeline and Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is 988.

Valerie Miller is a Las Vegas Valley-based journalist. She can be reached at (702) 683-3986 or valeriemusicmagic@yahoo.com.