Porter resigns from bench

Thursday, Sept. 25, 2003 | 11:03 a.m.

Chief District Judge Gene Porter resigned Wednesday to return to private practice.

"Recently I was offered an opportunity outside of the judiciary (and) after thoughtful and careful consideration, I have accepted this offer," Porter said in a letter of resignation to Gov. Kenny Guinn.

Porter's resignation, dated Wednesday, is effective Oct. 24. Guinn will name a replacement to fill the term that ends in 2008. The job pays $130,000 a year.

"I made great friends here, and I also hope that I had some impact in making the court a little more user-friendly for the public," Porter said today. "I have served as an elected official 16 of the last 17 years, trying to give something back to my community."

During his tenure on the bench, which started in 1995, Porter worked to help establish the Business Court, obtain funding for Mental and Drug courts and revise case management procedures.

Porter will start the law firm of Porter & Schimmel, with his longtime friend, Los Angeles attorney Alan Schimmel. The new firm will focus on government affairs and business law, with offices in Las Vegas and Los Angeles. Both attorneys are licensed to practice in California and Nevada.

Porter, 47, a former longtime assemblyman, was appointed to the bench in 1995 by then-Gov. Bob Miller. In his resignation letter, Porter thanked Guinn for "the privilege of serving this great state in a position of trust ... I have learned much."

A new chief judge could be selected by fellow District Court judges as earlier as their Oct. 8 meeting, District Court spokesman Michael Sommermeyer said.

"The District Court will lose an outstanding jurist and respected leader when Judge Porter leaves next month," Criminal Presiding Judge Sally Loehrer said in a news release. "He has guided the court through many challenges."

Assistant Chief District Judge Michael Douglas said Porter "was instrumental in establishing the Business Court. He recognized the need for a complex litigation center to handle complex construction defect and medical malpractice cases."

Porter presided over the Civil Court Division from 1998 to 2001 and after that served as a Business Court judge. He also is an adjunct law professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

As chief judge, Porter created the District Court's first assistant chief judge position and helped obtain funding for the Mental Health Court, Drug Court and for information management technology, Sommermeyer said.

Porter directed the judiciary to review and revise the court's case management procedures, Sommermeyer said.

In addition to once running a private practice, Porter served as assemblyman from 1986 to 1994. He held the position of majority leader his last three years in office.

In 1996, about a year after being appointed to Department 1, Porter ran without opposition for a six-year term. Last year Porter defeated longtime private attorney David Lee Phillips in his re-election bid.