lit a candle 5 Sept 2026Swift Justice was sharp. She didn't suffer fools. Respected that.
Their story
Jackie Glass (c. 1955/1956 to 28 August 2026) was an American judge, journalist, television personality, and mediator best known nationally for sentencing O.J. Simpson to nine to 33 years in prison in the 2008 Las Vegas robbery and kidnapping case, and for hosting the second and final season of the…
Jackie Glass (c. 1955/1956 to 28 August 2026) was an American judge, journalist, television personality, and mediator best known nationally for sentencing O.J. Simpson to nine to 33 years in prison in the 2008 Las Vegas robbery and kidnapping case, and for hosting the second and final season of the CBS-syndicated court show Swift Justice. She died in Las Vegas at age 70. Her husband, Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson, told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that she died Friday afternoon after suffering heart failure while conducting a mediation. Daughter Rachel Wolfson announced the death on Facebook.
Originally from New York, Glass earned a journalism degree from the University of Georgia in 1978 and moved that year to Las Vegas as a reporter for KORK-AM. She later covered crime and anchored at KTNV-TV Channel 13. Court reporting drew her toward the law. She earned a J.D. from the University of San Diego School of Law in 1984, was admitted to the State Bar of Nevada the same year, and married Steve Wolfson in 1984. The couple had met years earlier when he was a law clerk and she was a Channel 13 courts reporter. They later practiced together as Wolfson & Glass (personal injury and criminal defense), including early local TV advertising as "Wolfson and Glass for the defense."
Elected to the Eighth Judicial District Court in Clark County in 2002, Glass took the bench in 2003 and served until 2011 on civil and criminal calendars. She helped create the Clark County Mental Health Court (December 2003), led work that produced the Clark County Competency Court (16 November 2005; National Association of Counties Achievement Award, 2007), and in her final year oversaw the district's drug and alcohol treatment courts. High-profile criminal work included the Craig Titus / Kelly Ryan murder case and, above all, State of Nevada v. Orenthal James Simpson. On 3 October 2008, Simpson was convicted on all counts stemming from a 13 September 2007 confrontation with memorabilia dealers at Palace Station. On 5 December 2008, Glass rejected his apology as "much more than stupidity," called him arrogant and ignorant, and imposed a complex consecutive/concurrent structure yielding nine to 33 years. Simpson was paroled in 2017 and died in 2024.
On 24-25 May 2011, it was announced she would leave the bench to replace Nancy Grace as host of Swift Justice; her last day as judge was 10 June 2011. Season 2 moved production to Los Angeles under Big Ticket Television and ran until original episodes ended 25 April 2012. Glass then worked in alternative dispute resolution (Private Trials, 2012-2015; Advanced Resolution Management from 2015), becoming one of Nevada's most requested neutrals for mediation, arbitration, and private judging. In 2013 she received the Senora of Excellence Award. A private funeral was planned after her death; about 250 people still attended the Monday service, Wolfson said. She is survived by Wolfson and daughters Rachel Wolfson (comedian/stuntwoman, Jackass) and Rebecca Wolfson (Las Vegas municipal court judge).
Colleagues and public officials remembered her for specialty-court innovation as much as for the Simpson headline. Mayor Shelley Berkley said she felt she had lost a sister; Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto called her an inspiring role model whose light extinguished too soon. Wolfson said she loved helping people and was the best mediator in town. What remains is a Nevada justice career that ran from crime beat to bench to daytime TV to the mediation table, ending while she was still doing the work.
Biography adapted from EN Wikipedia Deaths in 2026; Swift Justice with Jackie Glass; O. J. Simpson robbery case; Las Vegas Sun 2026-08-31; Las Vegas Review-Journal 2026-08-28 and Wolfson interview 2026-09-01/02; KTNV; FOX5;.
In their own words
“It was much more than stupidity.”
Glass to O.J. Simpson at sentencing, Dec 5, 2008
“That was a violent event. Guns were brought. The potential for harm to occur in that room was tremendous.”
Glass at sentencing hearing
“I really do care whether you succeed or not. All I want you to do is get clean and sober and stay out of the criminal justice system.”
Glass to drug court participants when announcing departure for television
“She loved helping people.”
Steve Wolfson to Las Vegas Review-Journal, Sept 2026
“She's the best mediator in town.”
Steve Wolfson to RJ on her ADR work
“RIP my rock, I don't know how I'll do this life without you, I love you so much mommy Jackie Glass, I'll see you again someday.”
Rachel Wolfson Facebook tribute
“I am heartbroken and feel like I have lost a sister with the passing of Jackie Glass.”
Las Vegas Mayor Shelley Berkley on X
“Judge Glass was an inspiring role model who spent her life fighting for justice for others. Her light extinguished too soon.”
Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto on X
Photos
2Jackie Glass at Chuck Jones Experience opening, Las Vegas, Jan 19, 2012
by People Forever
District Court Judge Jackie Glass during O.J. Simpson sentencing hearing, Dec 5, 2008
by People Forever
That's the kind of thing that matters. Hard to be both at once.