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JUDICIAL DISCIPLINE: Halverson: Bailiff too attentive

Suspended District Court judge called her employee's devotion a 'nightmare'

District Judge Elizabeth Halverson's former bailiff claims the suspended judge treated him like a personal servant, but Halverson says she's the victim.

During a disciplinary hearing Thursday in Las Vegas, Halverson testified that her former bailiff, Johnnie Jordan, was a devoted employee who didn't want to leave her side, voluntarily tried to massage her and happily put her slippers on her feet. She said it got to the point where she had to tell Jordan to stop being so dutiful.

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  • "He tried to insist on putting them (slippers) on and off. We had fight after fight after fight about them because I told him repeatedly, 'I don't need you to put them on and off,'" she said.

    In rambling testimony, Halverson painted herself as the victim of Jordan's fawning attention. She said Jordan would skip lunches because he didn't want her left unprotected and once tried to rub her feet but stopped when she told him it was inappropriate.

    "It was a nightmare," she said.

    Halverson's testimony was in stark contrast to Jordan's. On Monday, Jordan broke down crying when he told the seven members of the Nevada Judicial Discipline Commission that Halverson ordered him to do "demeaning" tasks. He accused Halverson of ordering him to pick the lint off her robes with Scotch tape, heat her food in a microwave stored in a bathroom and massage her neck and feet.

    "I can't stand what she did to me!" Jordan said.

    The Judicial Discipline Commission filed a 14-count complaint against Halverson accusing her of mistreating her staff, communicating improperly with jurors during trials and falling asleep on the bench. Halverson, 50, has denied the charges.

    Halverson has been suspended from the bench since July 2007 but has continued to receive her $130,000 annual salary.

    The commission this week has been holding a quasi-judicial disciplinary hearing centering on the allegations. At the end of the hearing, the commissioners will decide if there is enough evidence to prove Halverson committed misconduct.

    The Judicial Discipline Commission, the only agency with the authority to sanction a sitting judge in Nevada, could have Halverson permanently removed from the bench.

    Halverson is scheduled to continue testifying today.

    Although the disciplinary hearing is centered on Halverson's behavior, her attorney, Michael Schwartz, shifted attention Thursday to Halverson's former judicial executive assistant, Ileen Spoor.

    Spoor, who testified Thursday, was grilled by Schwartz for allegedly fixing traffic tickets while working for Halverson. The accusation stems from a file marked "quick fix" that Spoor kept in the office. The file had copies of dozens of traffic tickets from people who gave them to Spoor for help.

    Spoor testified that she did nothing wrong. She said she merely gave the tickets to lawyers, who then handled them through the justice court or municipal court system.

    She said it was common practice among judicial executive assistants of district judges to refer tickets to attorneys even though traffic citations aren't handled in District Court. They are handled in justice and municipal courts. She described referring tickets to attorneys as "standard operating procedure" at the District Court.

    In May 2007, Spoor filed a defamation suit against Halverson after the judge accused her of fixing traffic tickets illegally.

    Schwartz said the conflict between Spoor and Halverson escalated when Halverson discovered that Spoor was referring the tickets to lawyers. He questioned why Spoor, who still works as a judicial executive assistant in District Court, would refer traffic tickets to attorneys when it wasn't part of her job as Halverson's assistant.

    Spoor said she did it on her own time during breaks.

    In one instance, Spoor faxed the ticket information to an unknown party using letterhead from Halverson's office, according to case evidence.

    Schwartz said Halverson essentially tried to blow the whistle on the ticket issue, which created a wedge between Spoor and Halverson.

    Several District Court judicial executive assistants contacted Thursday had different views on what Spoor was doing. One, who declined to be identified, agreed with Spoor that it was common for District Court judicial executive assistants to refer traffic tickets to attorneys.

    She said it was done as a courtesy and the assistant or judge never got any payment for doing it.

    Two other judicial executive assistants, one from Family Court, said they'd never heard of the practice.

    When the ticket issue surfaced last year, court officials reviewed Spoor's e-mail but found no evidence of illegal activity.

    Michael Sommermeyer, spokesman for the District Court, said Thursday that judicial executive assistants are allowed to refer individuals to lawyers for legal advice. Spoor's activity would fall under this category, he said.

    When asked why tickets would be sent to a district judge, he said the judges are elected officials who sometimes receive tickets from their constituents.

    He said that the public is free to send traffic tickets to judges at District Court but that it's up to the judge and staff whether they want to refer it to an attorney.

    He said the practice was similar to Ticket Busters, the local legal service that advertises that it takes care of tickets.

    Contact reporter David Kihara at dkihara@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-1039.



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    Amazed wrote on September 22, 2008 11:42 PM: Wow, Ticketfixer, Ticketbuster, and Abadcherry...it's very obvious you are a friend of Halverson. You call Ileen a fat troll?? She's a supermodel compared to Halverson. Helping family and friends with tickets is hardly something new in any courthouse. It sounds like nitpicking to me. Just another one of the ill-equipped Halverson's ploys for a power trip. She knew she didn't have what it takes to be a judge and had to find other ways to feel in control. How's the head, by the way?? Hahahaha!!!!


    Ticketfixer UPD wrote on August 21, 2008 08:19 PM: Las Vegas Review Journal August 8, 2008

    "When the ticket issue surfaced last year, court officials reviewed Spoor's e-mail but found no evidence of illegal activity.
    Michael Sommermeyer, spokesman for the District Court, said Thursday that judicial executive assistants are allowed to refer individuals to lawyers for legal advice. Spoor's activity would fall under this category, he said.

    When asked why tickets would be sent to a district judge, he said the judges are elected officials who sometimes receive tickets from their constituents.

    He said that the public is free to send traffic tickets to judges at District Court but that it's up to the judge and staff whether they want to refer it to an attorney.

    He said the practice was similar to Ticket Busters, the local legal service that advertises that it takes care of tickets."

    PLEASE SEND YOUR TICKETS YOU WOULD LIKE REFERRED TO AN ATTORNEY FREE OF CHARGE TO EMAIL ADDRESS spoori@co.clark.nv.us or FAX: 702 671- 4606 Attention : Ileen Spoor.

    Ileen's Phone and Fax #

    Fax: 702-671-4606

    This is Ileen Spoor's REAL work contact information

    She will be glad to help you reduce your ticket bail amount, Change moving violations to a traffic citation all without leaving your homes/Offices. Free of Charge.

    You can also send your requests for Jury Duty dismissal directly to Ileen. No reason for dismissal required.

    Please include your phone number should Ileen have to contact you. Thank you.


    ticketfixer wrote on August 21, 2008 01:17 AM: Las Vegas Review Journal August 8, 2008

    "When the ticket issue surfaced last year, court officials reviewed Spoor's e-mail but found no evidence of illegal activity.
    Michael Sommermeyer, spokesman for the District Court, said Thursday that judicial executive assistants are allowed to refer individuals to lawyers for legal advice. Spoor's activity would fall under this category, he said.

    When asked why tickets would be sent to a district judge, he said the judges are elected officials who sometimes receive tickets from their constituents.

    He said that the public is free to send traffic tickets to judges at District Court but that it's up to the judge and staff whether they want to refer it to an attorney.

    He said the practice was similar to Ticket Busters, the local legal service that advertises that it takes care of tickets."

    PLEASE SEND YOUR TICKETS YOU WOULD LIKE REFERRED TO AN ATTORNEY FREE OF CHARGE TO EMAIL ADDRESS:

    spoori@co.clark.nv.us

    PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR CITATION #, NAME & ADDRESS, DATE OF CITATION AND PHONE NUMBER OF WHERE YOU CAN BE CONTACTED.

    This is Ileen Spoor REAL Email Address. She will be glad to help you reduce your ticket bail amount,Change moving violations to a traffic citation and dismiss Jury Duty if you are to busy to go or simply do not feel like it.


    IleenTicketBuster wrote on August 21, 2008 12:16 AM: ATTENTION: Las Vegas Residents and Anyone who has received a Ticket in Clark County.

    Clark County Court Administration has stated that it is perfectly acceptable for Ileen Spoor to take moving violation and traffic tickets from the public and refer them to local Attorney's free of charge. These Attorney's will get a reduction in your Ticket fees, and will get moving violations reduced to Parking Citations.
    They will also get the ticket amount reduced.

    This will be all at no fee if you go through Ileen Spoor, JEA at the Regional Justice Center.

    Please feel free to Email Ileen with your traffic Citation information at:

    SPOORI@Co.Clark.NV.US

    Please include your Citation number, date of Citation and your phone number so Ileen may contact you to obtain a copy of your ticket.

    This is Ileen's REAL Email address.
    She has been running this Ticket busting Service at the RJC for 8 years and Clark County is aware and states this is open to anyone in the public sector.

    I will be using this service. I suggest you do as well. No more taking time off work. No more having to hire and pay for your own attorney.

    She will also handle dismissing Jury Duty if you do not feel up to doing it, or you are just to busy.

    Your welcome for the Email.


    AbadCherry wrote on August 11, 2008 09:35 AM: Attorney's Role is to Clarify or Confuse wrote on August 08, 2008 10:12 PM:
    By attempting to make Spoor "the issue," do you think Halverson's attorney is attempting to clarify or confuse?


    I think the Attorney is trying to show Ileen Spoor for the FAT LYING little troll she is. I don't think he tried to make Spoor the issue at all. I think he was trying to show there is much more to this story than meets the eye of first glance.

    Clearly the Attorney had some sort of documents that prove Spoor is a liar and the "Commission" would not allow him to read them or make Spoor answer questions about it.

    I found it telling that when they wanted Halverson to answer questions they would say, "This is not a "real" trial so, this or that would not apply.

    Yet, when Schwartz wanted to have Fatty Spoor have to answer questions regarding these tickets, he was told he could not per some court NRS something or other...

    Again, to levels of justice.. one if you are massively obese and unlikable.
    Another if you are just obese and are being backed by the Chief Jugde and Court Administration.

    One has to wonder WHY all the hush, hush about these tickets..

    WAIT... MAYBE... they want to keep our Supreme Court Judge Mikey Cherry out of it.. since Spoor said he was aware and approved her running her free "Ticket Buster" organinzation on County time. Ya think?? One also has to wonder why these Attorney's did all this legal work for free?? You don't think it's cause " BIG" ole Justice Cherry's (another Fatty) name was on the letterhead???

    Way to go Justice Cherry.... Hey, got any extra Superbowl tickets??


    endrun wrote on August 09, 2008 02:59 PM: 'My issue would be that the discipline should be consistent and not politically driven.'

    Such could be said about sentencing and the indigent defense issue.

    There is a whole other can of worms going on with that which interestingly enough dovetail with other 'color of law' and public corruption matters.

    There is a lot of stuff starting to surface as a result of efforts from many directions.

    Its interesting how these officials (Supremes, JDC et al) seem to snap to attention when investigations are going on. The problem is, is that it is so obvious its pathetic.


    endrun wrote on August 09, 2008 02:48 PM: 'My issue would be that the discipline should be consistent and not politically driven.'

    Such could be said about sentencing and the indigent defense issue.

    There is a whole other can of worms going on with that which interestingly enough dovetail with other 'color of law' and public corruption matters.

    There is a lot of stuff starting to surface as a result of efforts from many directions.

    Its interesting how these officials (Supremes, JDC et al) seem to snap to attention when investigations are going on. The problem is, is that is so obvious its pathetic.


    tmosley wrote on August 09, 2008 12:29 PM: Endrun; I might be able to add some facts to the posting by "Interesting".

    Mosley filed similar actions necessary to continue (delay) and challenge the action by the JDC. Different Outcome. He managed to delay for three years. One delay was caused by his insistence that the members of the commission were biased against him, resulting in a new "Mosley Commission" being formed.

    Ultimately the Supreme Court upheld the JDC discipline ($5000 fine and an ethics class). Mosley then sued the JDC, individually and Terry Mosley on a RICO action. (resulting in enormous legal fees. His complaint accuses the JDC and Terry Mosley of conspiracy, despite the fact that she ironically learned of the "fixed" custody hearing a year too late from the RJ news story.

    http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2008/aug/06/fishing-ralston/#comments

    The 17 ethics violations were far more serious and the complaint filed by the director of the JDC, Leonard Gang (not an angry woman), when he learned of the Metro Investigation. .

    Dominic Gentile represented Mosley for free, yet quit on Halverson allegedly because she could no longer pay him, and later by Galatz and Pitaro.

    The Chief Judge never removed Mosley even though he admitted to speaking ex-parte with a felon assigned to his court without the presence of the DA. He was allowed to stay in office for the next three years, get through another election, and continue to use his position under color of law, in order to further his own agenda with his RICO action as well as the custody case.

    I presume the point is that despite the many similarities with these two judicial complaints, there is or may be a disparity of justice.

    My issue would be that the discipline should be consistent and not politically driven.


    endrun wrote on August 09, 2008 11:03 AM: Interesting,

    We know that The Commission is bogus, but the is there a point to your post?

    What was the outcome of a ruling from Nevada Supreme Court on this?

    Im trying to complete the circle, but it doesnt go anywhere.


    Interesting wrote on August 09, 2008 07:06 AM: State panel won'tt drop complaint against judge
    Tue, Aug 15, 2000 (11:06 a.m.)
    The state Commission on Judicial Discipline has refused to drop judicial misconduct charges against District Judge Donald Mosley.
    The seven-member commission delayed a scheduled Monday hearing on the allegations until Mosley's attorney can appeal to the state Supreme Court after a federal judge interceded.
    Mosley is accused in a commission complaint filed in March of violating the Nevada Code of Judicial Conduct on 11 occasions, including helping a friend by dismissing charges against a criminal defendant, improperly using court stationery for personal business and discussing personal business with a defendant awaiting sentencing in his court.
    Mosley has denied his actions were improper.
    During argument for dismissal Monday, Mosley's attorney Neil Galatz compared the proceedings against Mosley to the trial that led to Christ's crucifixion and referred to "The Federalist Papers" in challenging the legitimacy of the commission.
    Besides referring to the commission as an illegitimate board that violates due process and its own rules, Galatz asserted that the commission is illegally constituted and that the case against Mosley was improperly prepared.
    The commission's special prosecutor, Mary Boetsch, said there is no evidence that Mosley's due process rights were violated.
    Though the panel was scheduled to begin hearings on the allegations, a federal judge had ordered the commission on Thursday to hold "a full and meaningful hearing" on the motion to dismiss the charges.
    In his decision, U.S. District Court Judge Justin Quackenbush said Galatz "raised serious questions as to the impartiality of the Nevada Judicial Commission as now constituted ." He ordered hearings on the claims against Mosley delayed until the Nevada Supreme Court can rule, if it is willing, on the dismissal motion


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