Nevada judicial news

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News about or affecting the judiciary in Nevada.

2010


Wilson seeks election to Sparks Justice Court

Nevada: Christian Guy Wilson has filed for a seat on the Sparks Township Justice Court, Department 2. He has worked with the Storey and Washoe County District Attorney's offices and as a Nevada prosecutor.[1]


No challengers for Nevada Supreme Court election

Nevada: Two incumbent Nevada Supreme Court justices will be re-elected in November of 2010. James Hardesty and Ron Parraguirre are running unopposed for re-election to 10-year terms on the state's highest court.[2]


Higgins seeks re-election to Sparks Justice Court

Sparks, Nevada: Justice Kevin Higgins has announced his plan to seek re-election to his current position of Sparks Township Justice of the Peace. He has served on this court since 2003.[3]


Two Nevada Supreme Court justices running for re-election

Nevada: Two of the justices of the Nevada Supreme Court have filed for re-election in 2010. They are 2009 Chief Justice James Hardesty and 2010 Chief Justice Ron Parraguirre. They are the only judges on the court whose terms expired in 2010. Both of them are running for their second term on the court. To date, both of them are running unopposed. The filing deadline to enter the race is close of business on January 15, 2010. [4]


Security Officer, gunman killed in shooting in Las Vegas federal courthouse

Las Vegas, Nevada: A shooting occurred at the Lloyd George Federal Courthouse in Downtown Las Vegas in which a security officer was killed. The gunman in the shootout later died after being shot by FBI agents. [5]

The incident happened after 8:00 AM-pacific time. The gunman, identified as Johnnie Lee Wicks, opened fire in the courthouse's main lobby. Witnesses who saw the shooting told news sources that the shooter acted alone. The shooter died of a wound to the head while the security officer was shot in the chest. [5]

Streets leading up to the courthouse in Las Vegas were shut down to allow for authorities to conduct emergency aid, as the courthouse is located off the Las Vegas Strip. [5]


References

2009


Federal judge Melvin Brunetti dies at age 75

Nevada: Melvin Brunetti, federal judge for the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has passed away. He was 75 and had been a judge on the court since 1985. Brunetti had been serving the court on senior status since 1999. He passed away at his Reno, NV home on October 30, 2009 after a long bout with cancer.

Fellow judge Diarmuid O'Scannlain said that Brunetti had a "knack in questioning counsel in a way that brought out fascinating aspects of a case" and said "He was just a delightful colleague". [1] Some of Brunetti's key opinion's include upholding anti-hate crime legislation, upholding the death penalty of Robert Alton Harris, and upholding broader Pentagon scrutiny of the security clearances of homosexuals.

Brunetti is survived by his wife of 44 years, his son and daughter, two brothers, two grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. [1]


Nevada bill on judicial discipline passed

Nevada: Assembly Bill 496 is a bill that was approved in 2009 to take effect January 1, 2010 in Nevada.[2] It amends certain provisions governing judicial discipline. Among other things, AB 496 requires the Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline to prepare annual and biennial reports concerning the status of complaints filed, requires the Commission to resolve complaints within 18 months, requires a judge to respond to formal complaints within 20 days, and adds public admonishment and public reprimand to the existing forms of discipline the Commission is authorized to use. [3]

These provisions lessen the amount of time that the Commission has to address complaints and lessen the amount of time that a complainant has to make an allegation of misconduct. [4]


Former district judge Brian Sandoval announces run for Governor

Nevada: Brian Sandoval of the United States District Court for the District of Nevada resigned from his life-term as a district judge effective September 15, 2009. Once his resignation was final, Sandoval announced his plans to enter the Republican primary for Governor of Nevada. He will be running against incumbent Jim Gibbons. Sandoval is the first federal judge ever to retire from a lifetime seat in order to pursue politics, according to retired state archivist Guy Rocha.[5]

From 1994 to 1998, Sandoval served as a member of the Nevada State Assembly. From 1998 to 2001, he served on the Nevada Gaming Commission. In 2002, Sandoval was elected to be Nevada's Attorney General. Sandoval was sworn into office in 2003 and served in that capacity until his appointment to the federal bench in 2005. He was nominated to the federal bench by President George W. Bush. [6] Sandoval cites his experience in public office as reason to enter the gubernatorial race, saying "I have served in all three branches of government". [7]

Respondents to a poll by Mason-Dixon Polling & Research Inc. picked Sandoval as their top candidate in the Republican primary, over Gibbons, former North Las Vegas Mayor Mike Montandon, or former state Senator Joe Heck. [8]


Nevada Supreme Court reviews judge's legitimacy

Nevada: This month the Nevada Supreme Court announced that they will begin proceedings to determine if Family Court Judge Robert Teuton has been violating the Nevada Constitution. Teuton, who was appointed in 2008 to fill the seat of retired Judge Gerald Hardcastle, is facing a dispute about the length of his term limit. Some argue that Teuton's term ended in January 2009, others say he has 17 months left in his term. The issue was brought to the Supreme Court's attention by Las Vegas attorney Robert Lueck, who ran against Teuton for the 2008 Family Court seat. According to Lueck, Teuton's term ended in January because he did not run in the November 2008 election, however, the state attorney general argues that Teuton was appointed too late to run in the November election and therefore his term ends in 2011.[9]


Change to method of judicial selection sought in Nevada

Nevada: in June of 2009 the Nevada Legislature approved a plan to appoint rather than elect state judges for the 2010 November ballot and already the measure has become a hot button issue for the state. The proposed constitutional amendment calls for the creation of a selection panel that would recommend candidates to the governor for appointment, similar to the Missouri Plan. After the judges' first term, voters will decide whether to allow the appointed judges to retain their positions. They would have to garner approximately 55% of the vote to stay in office.[10]

Amendment supporters argue that the appointment process would result in more qualified judges and remove the influence of campaign money. Retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor sent Nevada officials a letter in support of the proposal. She wrote, "Citizens can be confident that appointed judges are insulated from special interests who would seek to buy justice through campaign donations." Opponents, on the other hand, said that the amendment removes voting rights and places the decision only in the hands of a few - the selection panel.[10] "I’m against anything that alters the voters’ rights to pick judges. Judges should be held as accountable as any other public official," said Republican political consultant Sig Rogich. The Nevada Eagle Forum also opposes the change.[11]


2008

References
The Nevada Project on Judgepedia
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