Nevada Judiciary

Justice Saitta to Welcome Participants at Regional Event

A group of Nevada judges and journalists —, headed by Supreme Court Justice Nancy Saitta —, will be joining similar groups from four other states for a courts and media workshop sponsored by the National Judicial College in Reno.

The workshop on Friday, April 25 will allow the participants to get a better understanding of the other’,s roles and responsibilities and help the public become better informed court functions and programs.

In addition to Justice Saitta, participants from Nevada will include District Judges Jerry Polaha, Chuck Weller, and Frances Doherty from Washoe County, District Judge Andrew Puccinelli from Elko County, Reno Justice of the Peace Hal Albright, Reno Municipal Judge Jay Dilworth, and Las Vegas Municipal Judge Betsy Kolkoski.

Journalists attending will include David Kihara from the Las Vegas Review Journal, Robert Martinez from KLAS TV in Las Vegas, Doug McMurdo from the Elko Daily Free Press, Martha Bellisle from the Reno Gazette Journal, and Barry Smith of the Nevada Press Association.

The four other states involved in the session at the Reynolds National Center for Courts and Media are California, Nebraska, North Dakota, and Alaska.

Justice Saitta will join Reynolds Center Director Gary Hengstler in discussing the tensions between the courts and media and how issues leading to those tensions can be resolved.

“,With the rapid and significant changes occurring in both the courts and media, the workshop is designed to facilitate discussions between these two critical elements of democracy so as to minimize tensions between them,”, said Hengstler.

“,This is a unique opportunity for the judges to obtain a better perspective of the responsibilities and duties of journalists,”, said Justice Saitta. “,And I believe that journalists will also benefit from their involvement with the judges at this workshop.”,

“,Judges in Nevada, and particularly the justices of the Nevada Supreme Court, have been working diligently to ensure better access by the public and the media to our courts,”, Justice Saitta said. “,Most recently, the Supreme Court passed rules limiting the sealing of court records and created a Judicial Public Information Committee under the guidance of Chief Justice Mark Gibbons.”,

At a morning workshop session, Washington State Judge William L. Downing will discuss the benefits of creating bench-media committees in states to provide a forum for judges and journalists to address ongoing issues of common concern.

The luncheon speaker for the workshop will be Mark Hinueber, vice president and general counsel for Stephens Media Group.

During the afternoon session, participants will separate into their state groups to develop “,action plans”, to create bench-media committees like those Judge Downing discussed.

“,Workshops such as these can only strengthen the ability of the courts and media to work together for the benefit of the public,”, said Justice Saitta.

The workshop is similar to one conducted by the National Center for Courts and Media in 2005 involving judges, journalists, and court administrators from across Nevada.

That workshop, Justice Saitta noted, “,won praise from all sides for its success in increasing the understanding among the media and the courts.”, The 2005 session, however, was limited to Nevada representatives while this year’,s session will include judges and journalists from other states.