Wanted: Municipal Court judges who will stick with it

Erin Neff

Wednesday, Sept. 8, 1999 | 10:09 a.m.

The Las Vegas Municipal Court, traditionally filled with long-serving judges, now has its second vacancy on the bench this year.

As a result, potential appointees to the court will likely be asked their expected length of service.

When Ron Parraguirre was tapped by Gov. Kenny Guinn last week to replace retiring District Court Judge Joe Pavlikowski, the City Council was faced with its second Municipal Court appointment this year.

Michelle Leavitt Fitzpatrick was appointed to the Municipal Court earlier this year to replace Judge Valorie Vega, who also moved up to District Court.

Mayor Oscar Goodman said he would like to fill the most-recent vacancy with someone who has staying power.

"I'd like to appoint someone who will stick around for awhile," Goodman said. "These are not high-paying positions, but they're very, very important."

Municipal Court judges earn $94,500 annually compared with $100,000 earned at the District Court level and much higher salaries earned by private practice attorneys.

There is no formal screening process involved with a Municipal Court appointment. Interested candidates must be attorneys and must reside in Las Vegas but need no other formal requirements. As a result, informal meetings with council members produce the appointee.

Goodman said he saw no reason to change the process regarding Municipal Court appointees, adding "the only country that I know who tests for judges is Brazil."

Already Parraguirre's departure from Municipal Court Department 6 is drawing interest from the legal community.

Deputy Public Defender Jessie Walsh, who lost in the general election to Bert Brown for the Department 4 seat, is considered a likely candidate to win the appointment.

And the 22,659 votes she earned in the recent election could help her win the appointment.

"I think she's very qualified and it means something to me that more than 20,000 people voted for her," Councilwoman Lynette Boggs McDonald said. "That shows that residents did support her."

But Goodman argues her second-place finish to Brown's 26,086 votes shouldn't be considered a factor in the appointment.

"I like Jessie very much and I think she's well qualified," Goodman said. "But the fact that she ran has no bearing on me."

Walsh could have another edge for the appointment in that she is a former deputy city attorney. Boggs McDonald said she considers Walsh's work for the city to be important because it gives her an understanding of the type of issues facing Las Vegas.

Interviews are being conducted with council members and prospective judges again this week. A recommendation for appointment could be made at the Sept. 15 council meeting, but the appointee would not be sworn in at that time.

Parraguirre's start date at District Court has not yet been set.