Editorial: Judicial candidates endorsed

Thursday, Oct. 24, 2002 | 9:27 a.m.

Today the Las Vegas Sun endorses candidates in the contested races for Supreme Court and District Court departments. One of the two Supreme Court races is uncontested and 14 of the 21 departmental races for District Court are uncontested. On Friday, the Sun will offer its endorsements in the District Court's Family Division races.

Supreme Court

In the Supreme Court race for Seat B, Chief Justice Bill Maupin has earned a second term. Maupin began his legal career in 1971 with the attorney general's office and practiced privately from 1975 to 1993, when he was appointed to serve as district judge. He was elected as district judge in 1994. Running to succeed retiring Justice Thomas Steffen in 1996, Maupin promised to help unify the court and to reduce the case backlog. He has succeeded on both counts. Maupin is experienced in criminal and civil law and is skilled at case management. The Sun endorses Chief Justice Bill Maupin.

District Court

Former Assembly Majority Leader Gene Porter is currently the Business Court judge and plans to retain that responsibility upon assuming the duty of chief judge in January, if the voters return him to Department 1. Porter is an experienced judge whose quiet efficiency has earned him another six-year term. His understanding of how laws are created in the Legislature, and enforced from the bench, is a plus for voters. The Sun endorses Judge Gene Porter.

Kathy Hardcastle spent 17 years practicing law, including five years as a public defender, before being elected to her first term in Department 4. She has distinguished herself as one with workable ideas on case-flow management and she took the initiative in providing Internet access to court records. While her opponent, Carolyn Ellsworth, a private attorney with 10 years experience in the district attorney's office and 10 years of experience as general counsel to Mirage Resorts, is a credible candidate, Hardcastle's achievements have earned her a second term. The Sun endorses Judge Kathy Hardcastle.

Judge Jeffrey Sobel brings a long and accomplished range of civil and criminal experience to Department 5. He has presided over thousands of cases, many of them among the most high-profile in Southern Nevada history -- everything from the civil proceedings resulting from the 1988 Pepcon explosion in Henderson to several multiple-murder trials in the 1990s. First elected to the District Court in 1990, Sobel has earned a reputation as a judge who is always prepared. He runs an efficient courtroom that does not waste the time of attorneys or jurors. He is tough on violent criminals and favors treatment and counseling for nonviolent defendants. The Sun endorses Judge Jeffrey Sobel.

As Clark County's district attorney since 1995, Stewart Bell has compiled an impressive record in leading this office that handles more than 100,000 cases a year, including 25,000 felony cases. Bell's 30-year local legal career has gained for him a wealth of knowledge about the criminal justice system. He is the best candidate to replace Department 7 Judge Mark Gibbons, who is running uncontested for Nevada Supreme Court. The Sun endorses Stewart Bell.

Known primarily as the Drug Court, Department 10 has gained a reputation as being highly effective under District Judge Jack Lehman, who is retiring. The candidate most qualified to replace Lehman is Family Court Judge Bill Voy, who previously served as an Army lawyer, justice of the peace pro tempore and as an alternative judge for Las Vegas Municipal Court. Voy will have high expectations of those who appear before him. Although he understands the struggle people face with their addictions, repeat offenders will find him a tough judge. He will treat offenders as individuals and not rely on blanket solutions. The Sun endorses Bill Voy.

Judge Donald Mosley has 23 years of experience on the bench and his courtroom in Department 14 is known for its courteous but no-nonsense handling of criminal cases. Attorneys respect Mosley's efficient handling of procedure, and those found guilty of violent crimes can expect stiff sentences. Mosley favors the trend toward court specialization, saying that it's an improvement over simply rotating cases among judges, a system he says inhibits a judge's ability to gain true expertise in any area. We agree with what most of the attorneys and other people who have been in Mosley's courtroom say, that the judge runs a good court. The Sun endorses Judge Donald Mosley.

As a prosecutor in the Ted Binion murder trial, Chief Deputy District Attorney David Wall showed the poise and demeanor that comes with 16 years of experience as a prosecutor, public defender and private attorney. Department 20, newly created to ease a backlog of cases, would be well served by someone with Wall's blend of civil and criminal experience. The Sun endorses David Wall.

Department 21 is a newly created court that will assist in breaking through the backlog of civil cases. Attorney Ron Israel, whose 20-year legal practice in Las Vegas has been dedicated to civil cases, is the best candidate for this department, although his opponent, Valerie Adair, is a fine deputy district attorney. Israel understands civil law and is articulate in explaining the merits of a case to both parties, often with the result that the case is settled without a costly trial. The Sun endorses Ron Israel.