Editorial: Reduce politics’ role in judicial selections

Friday, Sept. 10, 1999 | 9:20 a.m.

Next week the Las Vegas City Council may appoint a judge to Municipal Court, replacing Ron Parraguirre, who recently was named by Gov. Kenny Guinn to be a District Court judge. The vacancy has created some intense jockeying by candidates to get the nod, raising questions about how Municipal Court vacancies are filled.

As the Sun's Erin Neff noted in a Wednesday story, there is no formal screening process for those seeking a Municipal Court judgeship. The only requirements are that one has to be an attorney and live in Las Vegas. This stands in contrast to how District Court judge vacancies are filled. If a District Court judge resigns or dies, his replacement must first apply with the state's Judicial Selection Commission. This commission's membership includes the Nevada Supreme Court's chief justice, nonlawyers appointed by the governor and lawyers appointed by the Nevada State Bar's board of governors and the Clark County Bar Association. The commission then recommends the three best qualified candidates to the governor, who then makes the appointment from that list.

Politics will never be eliminated from judicial appointments, but the screening process used for District Court judge vacancies reduces the level of political shenanigans and ensures that all lawyers have a reasonably equal shot -- regardless of their political influence. Realistically there is not enough time for the city of Las Vegas to create a similar screening body to fill Parraguirre's vacancy. But the city should start now in establishing its own commission to create a fairer process for future vacancies or, when practical, let the voters elect a replacement.