Currently: 80° | Complete forecast | Log in
Published Friday, May 2, 2008 | 1:01 p.m.
Updated Thursday, Oct. 30, 2008 | 2:14 p.m.
Troubled Judge Elizabeth Halverson has asked the state Supreme Court to pull her race and several others from the ballot because she believes a law that caused a de facto shortening of some judicial terms is unconstitutional. Her plea for relief can be read at right.
Comments are moderated by Las Vegas Sun editors. Our goal is not to limit the discussion, but rather to elevate it. Comments should be relevant and contain no abusive language. Comments that are off-topic, vulgar, profane or include personal attacks will be removed. Full comments policy. Additionally, we now display comments from trusted commenters by default. Those wishing to become a trusted commenter need to verify their identity or sign in with Facebook Connect to tie their Facebook account to their Las Vegas Sun account. For more on this change, read our story about how it works and why we did it.
Only trusted comments are displayed on this page. Untrusted comments have expired from this story.
3 Comments
Facebook
Fark
Digg
Reddit
Stumble
Although the complete pleading isn't posted, it appears she has a facially sound case. I know people might not like her, but she is being a constitutionalist. You have to give her credit for that!
I'm not a lawyer, but I just read both Halverson's pleading and the constitutional articles regarding the Judiciary. The constitution clearly allows the Legislature to amend the districts and to set the terms and the seats of Supreme Court Justices and District Court Judges. Regarding the Supreme Court Justices, if the Legislature increases the number of seats on the Supreme Court, the constitution specifically requires the Legislature to stagger the terms of the newly-created seats. Although this specific language does not appear in the articles for district court judges, there is a blanket statement that the terms are set by law. Therefore, I think Elizabeth Halverson's pleading is nothing more than a frivolous pleading and I hope the Supreme Court slaps her accordingly.
Halverson should be allowed on the ballot. So that the people who have heard her represent herself can show her the door. Maybe she can assist Tom Collins in District B!