SUPREME COURT SEAT E

Thursday, Oct. 14, 2004 | 1:30 a.m.

A Northern Nevada attorney and a Clark County District Court judge face off to succeed Supreme Court Justice Deborah Agosti, who is stepping down from Seat E.

District Judge Ron Parraguirre, 45, wants to streamline the litigation process, while former state Republican Chairman John E. Mason, 57, got into the race because of his concern over some of the state high court's recent decisions about Lake Tahoe.

Parraguirre, who has been a district judge since 1999, graduated from San Diego State University with a business degree and a law degree. Before becoming a District Court judge, Parraguirre was a Las Vegas Municipal Court judge for three terms.

He said the courts are facing a limited amount of money with an increasing number of cases, making administration of cases by the Supreme Court more important than ever.

Parraguirre said he plans to foster the integrity of the judiciary by ensuring the laws are applied effectively and efficiently.

Mason of Lake Tahoe is a lawyer for entertainers such as Reba McEntire, Shakira and Toby Keith and was appointed in December as judge pro tempore in Douglas County Justice Court.

He has a political science degree from UCLA and a law degree from the University of California at Berkeley.

Mason entered the race after Agosti wrote the court's controversial decision that the Legislature could pass taxes to fund education without a constitutionally required two-thirds vote.

Mason said he believes some of the court's decisions over the past year have been forays into legislation rather than interpreting the law as the Nevada Constitution is written.

Mason said Nevadans deserve a fair and impartial judiciary to uphold state laws.

In the primary election Parraguirre took 97,367 votes to Mason's 48,152, but about 100,000 voted for none of the above or the two other primary candidates.