Mahan nominated for federal judgeship

Benjamin Grove

Friday, Sept. 7, 2001 | 9:55 a.m.

Benjamin Grove

WASHINGTON -- President Bush on Thursday nominated Clark County District Court Judge James Mahan, the choice of Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., for a seat on Nevada's federal bench.

White House officials told Ensign they would forward Mahan's name to the Senate Judiciary Committee. The full Senate must approve the nomination. Ensign has the privilege of recommending judges because he is the senator of the president's party.

Nevada has two open seats on its U.S. District Court bench. Bush last month nominated Reno attorney and former Washoe County District Attorney Larry Hicks for the other spot. The lifetime judge appointments have a salary of $145,100.

Bush this week also nominated Reno prosecutor Daniel Bogden to become Nevada's U.S. attorney.

Mahan, 57, has been a District Court judge since March 1999. He was a lawyer in private practice prior to taking the seat.

As judge, he has presided over cases that included former state investigator Mike Anzalone's wrongful termination suit against Attorney General Frankie Sue Del Papa, the state Ethics Commission versus Las Vegas Councilman Michael McDonald and the Venetian hotel's suit against the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority in a dispute over LVCVA expansion.

Congress approved two new seats for Nevada's U.S. District Court to handle a heavy caseload in the fast-growing state. The bench now has five judges, plus two senior judges.

It's not clear when the Senate would act on the nominations. Lawmakers have said they want to approve some judges before their October adjournment.