Three experienced judges running unopposed

Kim Smith

Thursday, Aug. 31, 2000 | 10:07 a.m.

Heavy workloads and short terms are just two of the reasons judicial pundits believe three of this year's judicial races didn't draw any competitors.

District Judges Valorie Vega, Jim Mahan and Ron Parraguirre are all running unopposed this year.

Each of the judges was appointed by Gov. Kenny Guinn last year to fulfill the terms of other judges. As a result, the three will have to run again in two years.

Clark County Court Administrator Chuck Short believes most aspiring judges don't want to spend the time and money running for such a short term. While those who want to run against Vega, Mahan and Parraguirre next time will be running against experienced judges, the payoff will be a six-year term instead of a two-year term.

Some potential judges may be waiting for other seats to open up, too.

"It's known that two or three of our incumbent judges are going to retire at the end of their term, so there will be some open six-year seats," Short said.

Other district judges, too, may decide to run for the Nevada Supreme Court, leaving their spots open, Short said.

There is also the chance that the 2001 Legislature will approve the creation of four more judgeships that the county's has requested, Short said.

The caseload of a district judge in Clark County is high, and the $100,000 annual salary is far below what an experienced private litigator can make, Short said.

An attorney in private practice with five to 10 years experience can probably make between $200,000 and $400,000 a year, Short said.

According to court records, Clark County was the sixth in the country in terms of the number of cases filed for each of the 27 judges (19 criminal and civil judges and eight family court judges). That year, the latest for which statistics are available, an average of 2,254 cases were filed in each judge's courtroom.

Last year more than 16,000 civil cases and 8,300 criminal cases were filed in the 8th Judicial District.

Parraguirre, who agreed that many may be waiting for next election season, expressed his relief at being able to focus on his job rather than having to divert his attention to campaigning.

With no campaign headaches confronting him, Parraguirre said he will continue to "sink into his caseload."

Mahan said he, too, believes people are waiting for the six-year terms. But he hopes there is another reason no one has taken them on.

"I hope that, number one, we're being perceived as doing a good job," Mahan said. "I think we're getting our cases through faster than ever before, because we're working as a cohesive court now. We are all just cogs in a wheel now where we used to be 19 different judges going in different directions."

Short believes that may be the case, too.

"If you look at their judicial evaluation scores, they give everyone the general sense that we have a good, hard-working group of district judges and there is no reason for change," Short said.

Vega was on vacation Wednesday and unavailable for comment.