Saitta, 65, notified Gov. Brian Sandoval in a letter last week that she was stepping down from the high court on Aug. 8. Her six-year term runs through 2018.

“After nearly 20 years as a judicial officer, with 10 of those years as a justice of the Nevada Supreme Court, I have decided that it is time to move on to the next chapter,” Saitta wrote in the letter. “I consider myself fortunate to have had the opportunity to be of service to the courts and the citizens of the state of Nevada.”

In a news release Monday, Saitta added: “After careful consideration, I am confident that this is the right time for me.”

Saitta, who served as chief justice of the Supreme Court between September 2011 and May 2012, said she plans to become a senior judge and continue her work on several commissions and task forces that focus on the welfare of children.  Read more: