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May. 13, 2008
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Registrar decries judge's complaint

Lomax: Halverson knew term length

By DAVID KIHARA
REVIEW-JOURNAL

Elizabeth Halverson
Judge continues to collect $130,000 salary despite being suspended

Clark County's registrar challenged District Judge Elizabeth Halverson's attempt to avoid running for re-election Monday, saying the embattled judge waited too long to claim her two-year term is unconstitutional.

Registrar of voters Larry Lomax, in a response filed by county attorney Mary-Anne Miller, asked that Halverson's claim should be dismissed because Halverson knew about the term length when she campaigned in 2006 but didn't raise the issue then.

"Had she raised her challenge timely in 2006, the Legislature could have acted in 2007 to address the matter," the response states.

In her petition before the Nevada Supreme Court, Halverson said the 2005 law creating her judicial seat is unconstitutional because her term is only for two years. Typical judicial terms are six years.

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    • Legislators created two-year terms for new judge seats to ensure that all judges receive pay increases at the same time.

    Under the constitution, pay increases can't be granted to judges during their terms in office. They must be re-elected before they get a raise.

    The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments on Halverson's petition on July 1.

    The Nevada Judicial Discipline Commission filed a 14-count against Halverson claiming she created a hostile work environment, slept on the bench and couldn't conduct trials adequately. Her former bailiff claims Halverson made him massage her back and put shoes on he feet.

    Halverson, who uses a motorized scooter, has denied the claims. She is suspended from the bench but continues to collect her $130,000-a-year salary.

    The Judicial Discipline Commission scheduled a weeklong hearing starting June 9 in connection with the complaint.

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



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    Vegas Native wrote on May 14, 2008 10:03 AM: Is there a statute of limitations on a Constitutional claim? (I'll give you a hint: the answer is no.) What a silly argument for the County to make. As if Laches could bar a claim by an aggreived party challenging the constitutionality of a statute.


    Now if wrote on May 13, 2008 07:46 AM: Now if the voters want to get rid of a worthless piece of garbage that belongs standing in front of a real judge and not sitting on bench. Go after NANCY SAITTA. Question her orders and look at her bank accounts.

    This connected weasel got promoted to Supreme Court Justice when she should have got arrested.


    Very Sad wrote on May 13, 2008 07:40 AM: Ted,Daniel and B, It is truly a shame that you three are not as interested in getting to the truth as you are about casting stones when you don't have the facts. We have several judges and justices that break the law on a continuous basis. Yet, because they are connected and have influence nothing happens to them. They literally use court orders to steal and oppress. They work hand in hand with certain law firms. When it gets to hot, they enlist the help of other corrupt judges. They legislate from the bench and seal cases to hide their nefarious deeds.

    They have made a case against Halverson knowing you would take the bait. Whistleblowers must be removed at any cost.


    Robert wrote on May 13, 2008 07:30 AM: B and Daniel:

    Talk about the wrong article to support your point. Judge Halverson WAS supposedly the outsider, the anti-establishment candidate. She was outside of the establishment because she lacked the qualifications, temperament and sanity to be considered. The judges and legal personnel who knew her warned about this but were decried as "good ol' boys." Sometimes incumbents are in office because they actually are pretty qualified for the job; sometimes they are not. However to the Anti-Establishment Crowd: be careful what you wish for in unconventional judges, you just might get it.


    Ted wrote on May 13, 2008 06:42 AM: Clark County residents should be thankful that this "para-legal" of a judge is taking her $130K and staying off the bench. She is doing far less harm than when she actually was on her bully pulpit.


    Daniel wrote on May 13, 2008 06:25 AM: The time has come to take back our government. Elect new faces as b has said and vote out the encumbents. WE THE PEOPLE must be in charge so stand up and take back our Country. We must stop the rising prices of all commodities. Buy what you need not what you want, lower our use of gasoline to lower the consumption. We must use our right as the power in government and take back our rights. Political Correctness needs to be abolished and common sense reinstated.


    b wrote on May 13, 2008 05:09 AM: Still no explaination from the powers as to why this fine example of a Las Vegas judge is still taking my money, a year after whe was thrown out. So now she is using my money to cost me more money, filing this suit? Yep, we need to clean house, starting with her is fine, but let's don't stop there, elections are coming up, all encumbents need to be sent packing