Embattled Las Vegas Judge Loses Bid to Extend Her Term
Embattled Las Vegas Judge Elizabeth Halverson has lost her claim that a law giving her an initial term of only two years on the bench is unconstitutional.
The Nevada Supreme Court said in a footnote that it ruled on Halverson’s claim even though the judge had filed a complaint against them with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports. The footnote says Halverson did not inform the court of the pending complaint when she appeared before them.
Halverson had claimed that she and three other judges who won elections to newly created positions are entitled to six-year terms under the state constitution.
The legislature had created the judicial seats with initial terms of two years so all judges could run on the same election cycle. The Nevada Supreme Court ruled in its July 3 opinion that the action was constitutional under prior precedent. As a result, Halverson and the other judges will have to run for re-election this year.
Halverson has been accused of judicial misconduct that includes mistreating staff and sleeping during trials. She faces an Aug. 4 hearing before the Judicial Discipline Commission, the Las Vegas Sun reports.
Updated at 5:53 p.m. to indicate that Halverson’s hearing is set for Aug. 4.
