Agency jumped gun in filling job

Friday, Sept. 12, 1997 | 10:20 a.m.

Although she hadn't been appointed by Gov. Bob Miller, Mary Groesbeck was permitted by state Hearings Division Officer Bryan Nix to sign various documents on behalf of his agency.

She signed orders that identified herself as an appeals officer, a lawyer who handles disputes involving injured workers.

The Supreme Court on Aug. 29 issued an order blocking Groesbeck, wife of former Henderson Mayor Robert Groesbeck, from accepting new clients. The court told her to respond by Sept. 29 to the State Bar of Nevada about 18 complaints filed by her former clients or face the suspension of her license.

Press aides for Miller at first denied Groesbeck had been hired by the state. The denials continued Thursday until they were shown a copy of one of the orders signed by her.

Nix said he had asked Groesbeck to sign orders requesting people appear for hearings in October. Announcements about her appointment also were sent.

"They jumped the gun," Miller's press secretary Richard Urey said about Nix's decision. "At no time was she in the employ of the state."

Nix acknowledged he took the step without Miller's approval, adding, "I blew it. I assumed she was going to be appointed. These appointments normally are routine."

Nix said he would never have recommended Miller appoint Groesbeck if he had known of the Supreme Court order. Urey said Miller wasn't aware of the sanctions until they were reported in the media.

News stories on the court sanction appeared Tuesday, a day after Groesbeck signed some orders.

The complaints against Groesbeck were filed by people she represented in cases against the defunct Oasis Pools company. She issued a statement Thursday that the complaints are unfounded.