Candidates see need to make changes in state’s high court

Jace Radke

Friday, Oct. 15, 2004 | 9:49 a.m.

Two judges from different ends of the state say that the opportunity to be elected to the Nevada Supreme Court due to the retirement of Justice Miriam Shearing was too good to pass up.

Both Family Court Judge Cynthia "Dianne" Steel of Las Vegas and Washoe County's Chief District Judge James Hardesty said they think the time is right to make some changes in how the Supreme Court operates.

"This is a unique time because we have three new justices coming onto a seven-member court," said Hardesty, 55, who has been a practicing lawyer for more than 25 years and first took the bench in 1999.

Steel, 51, has been a judge in Family Court since 1997. Before that she served one term in the Assembly and was chief of staff for the lieutenant governor's office in Las Vegas.

Hardesty touts his 25 years of law experience that has included work in all areas of the law, while Steel says that there is no one on the Supreme Court with the experience in Family Court that she can bring.

"Justice Shearing is the last vestige of Family Court experience on the Supreme Court," Steel said. "The justices need to encompass all the different aspects of the law, and no one there has the hands-on experience in Family Court.

"Judge Hardesty is more of the same. His background is in criminal, construction defect and contract law."

Hardesty said that he has the edge in experience and brings a balanced background to the position.

"I believe, in comparing our records, people will find that I'm the candidate that has handled over 50 jury trials as a lawyer and argued 30 cases in appellate courts," Hardesty said. "I've been a judge for 125 jury trials and 275 settlement conferences in all areas of the law."

Both of the judges said they would like to see a Supreme Court branch in Las Vegas for document-filing services. Hardesty says he would like to see custody cases involving juveniles fast-tracked and, while Steel agrees, she says that more must be done in juvenile cases.

"There are delays in getting Family Court cases processed, and it's because there are no set processes and procedures in juvenile cases," Steel said. "I'd like to form a statewide committee to do something about that."

If elected, Steel said she would like to participate in consolidating domestic violence courts and provide educational outreach to help citizens sort through what can be a confusing web of courts and policies.

"I'm not going in trying to reinvent every wheel, but I think there are some things out there that haven't been looked at," Steel said.

Steel, who lives in Las Vegas, is married and has a daughter in elementary school, whom she cites as her inspiration to do a good job for all of Nevada's children.

As chief judge in Washoe County, Hardesty says he has brought innovations and budget savings to the court system, making budget cuts while the number of cases increased by 25 percent.

If elected, Hardesty said that he would like to bring a business approach to running the Supreme Court and improve case management.

"There are ways to get decisions, writs and motions processed quicker," Hardesty said. "An example is that not every case should be be referred to mandatory settlement before moving forward. This can cause delays of up to six months in the resolution of a case."

Hardesty, who earned an accounting degree from the University of Nevada, Reno and graduated with a law degree from the University of the Pacific, would also like to establish a bench bar committee that would get input from lawyers on how the court is performing and areas that can be improved.

Steel graduated from Valdosta State College with a theater degree and earned a law degree from the California Western School of Law. She has served as president and vice president of the Nevada District Judges Association and as presiding judge of the Family Court.

She has been endorsed by the Las Vegas Metro Police Managers and Supervisors Association,the Service Employees International Union, Nevada Concerned Citizens, Caucus of African American Nevadans, the Republican Liberty Caucus and We the People of Nevada.

Hardesty, who lives in Reno, is married and has two grown daughters and four grandchildren.

He is endorsed by the unions for Metro, North Las Vegas and Reno Police Officers, the Nevada AFL-CIO, the Culinary Union and the Reno Chamber of Commerce among others.

In the primary election Hardesty took 110,595 votes to Steel's 53,585. Steel has raised $58,206 for her campaign, while Hardesty has collected $379,954.