An order upholding a Las Vegas jury criminal trial verdict and sentence was the first ruling by the new Nevada state Court of Appeals.
Chief Judge Michael P. Gibbons announced Wednesday that a ruling in Johnny William Johnson's criminal case was one of 42 decisions issued after less than three weeks of work by the three-member intermediate appeals court in Carson City.
Nevada Supreme Court Chief Justice James Hardesty calls the moment historic.
The 25-year-old Williams was appealing his 2013 conviction on felony attempted murder, battery and weapons charges in Clark County District Court.
He's serving to up to 81 years in state prison.
Nevada voters approved creating the Court of Appeals last November.
The Supreme Court expects to assign about 700 cases a year to the Court of Appeals.
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