| Finalists Named for Two Judicial Vacancies At 8th Judicial District Family Court |
| Wednesday, 11 February 2009 12:03 | |||
|
Nevada Supreme Court Chief Justice James W. Hardesty announced that the Nevada Commission on Judicial Selection has narrowed the list of 15 applicants for two vacant seats at the Eighth Judicial District Family Court to five finalists. Following two days of interviews, the Commission submitted two lists of finalists – each with the names of three nominees – to Gov. Jim Gibbons, who will appoint the new judges from the lists. The Commission elected to place the name of one – Las Vegas attorney Vincent Ochoa – on both lists. The three nominees for Department E are: • Gregory G. Gordon, 38, Henderson, attorney in private practice • Charles J. Hoskin, 45, Las Vegas, attorney in private practice • Vincent Ochoa, 56, Las Vegas, attorney in private practice The three nominees for Department F are: • William B. Gonzalez, 47, Las Vegas, Clark County Deputy Public Defender • Keith M. Lyons, Jr., 47, Las Vegas, attorney in private practice • Vincent Ochoa, 56, Las Vegas, attorney in private practice The vacancies are the result of Family Court judges being elected in November to other positions. Family Court Judge Stefany Miley left her Department F seat after being elected to a civil/criminal judgeship, replacing Judge Elizabeth Halverson in Department 23. Family Court Judge Sandra Pomrenze was elected to the newly created Department P at Family Court and vacated her Department E seat at Family Court. For just the second time ever, the interviews and deliberations of the Commission on Judicial Selection were open to the public, and members of the public were allowed to address the Commission to speak about the qualifications of candidates. The interviews were conducted over two days in the Supreme Court’s Las Vegas courtroom at the Regional Justice Center. Chief Justice Hardesty said that because of the burgeoning caseloads at Family Court, about three weeks was trimmed off the selection process. Statistics from the Annual Report of the Nevada Judiciary for fiscal year 2008 showed that Family Court cases in Clark County jumped from 43,680 during fiscal year 2007 to 44,583. Family Court cases account for 49.1 percent of all new cases filed with the District Court. “Family Court is one of the most vital pieces of the Nevada Judiciary,” said Chief Justice James W. Hardesty. “Because the well being of families and children is at stake, it is important that every Family Court seat is filled and cases are heard in a timely manner.” In making their decisions, the Commission considered comprehensive applications from the attorneys providing information about education, law practice, business involvement, community involvement, professional and personal conduct, and health. The Commission also considered letters of reference, written public comments, and responses to verbal questions posed during the interviews. The applications have been available for more than a month on the Supreme Court website (www.nvsupremecourt.us). The applications of the ___ finalists will remain on the Commission on Judicial Selection webpage until the Governor makes his appointments. No time limit exists within which the Governor must make a judicial appointment. However, if an appointment is not made within 30 days following submission of names by the Commission, the Governor may make no other appointments to public office. Whoever the Governor selects will have to run in the 2010 election to retain the seat. The terms of both seats expire in January 2010. The Commission is composed of seven permanent members – the Supreme Court Chief Justice, three non-attorneys appointed by the Governor and three attorneys appointed by the State Bar of Nevada – plus the two temporary members appointed from the judicial district where a vacancy occurs. Neither the Governor nor the Bar may appoint more than two permanent members from the same political party, and cannot appoint two members from the same county. For District Court vacancies, two temporary members are appointed – a non-attorney by the Governor and an attorney by the State Bar – bringing the Commission membership to nine. The temporary members serve only until the nominations for the vacancy are transmitted to the Governor. The regular commission members are: • Chief Justice James W. Hardesty, Chair • Ruthe Agee, of Spring Creek, Elko County, who works in the orthodontic field, (Governor appointee) • Ann Bersi, Ph.D., former deputy district attorney in the Civil Division of the Clark County District Attorney’s Office (State Bar appointee) • G. Fred Boyd, small business consultant in Reno (Governor appointee) • Scott Freeman, Reno attorney (State Bar appointee) • Jeffrey Gilbert, veteran gaming executive (Governor appointee) • Thomas L. Stockard, Fallon, Churchill County Deputy District Attorney (State Bar appointee) The State Bar appointed Las Vegas attorney Rebecca H. Miller as its temporary member for the current vacancies. Governor Gibbons named Mary-Ellen McMullen, a community volunteer from Henderson, as his temporary member. Contact: Bill Gang Public Information Officer Nevada Supreme Court 702-486-3232 office 702-279-6375 mobile
|
|||
| Last Updated on Thursday, 19 February 2009 12:18 |
