Litigation

NV Voters to Decide on Judicial Appointment

By Peter Hardin

When Nevadans go to the polls on Tuesday, they will cast a vote that may influence the quality of state judges and the public’s faith in the courts.

They will vote on a proposal  for a state constitutional amendment to switch to appointment of district judges and state Supreme Court justices, followed by subsequent retention (up-or-down) elections if they want to stay on the bench, according to a Las Vegas Sun article.

Retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor has been in the forefront of advocacy for the merit-based selection plan. A group called Nevadans for Qualified Judges has led support for the proposal with backing of more than $250,000, much of it from law firms and gaming companies, the Sun reported. The Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce and Nevada State Bar Board of Governors have backed it.

Twice before, in 1972 and 1988, Nevada voters have turned down similar proposals. This time the issue has gotten a share of national attention, as the Los Angeles Times published an article pointing to a string of embarrassments for Nevada judges, including that newspaper’s 2006 investigation that pointed to scandal.

The latest public opinion poll by the Las Vegas Review-Journal and  8NewsNow indicated 37 percent of voters favor switching to merit selection, the Review-Journal reported. To learn more about the ballot issue, click on Gavel Grab or go to the Justice at Stake Nevada news page.

Full post as published by The Gavel on November 01, 2010 (boomark / email).