Judicial discipline panel to seek jail time for ex-Henderson judge

Friday, July 15, 2005 | 9:12 a.m.

SUN CAPITAL BUREAU

CARSON CITY -- The Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline said it intends to seek jail time for a former Henderson pro-tem judge who was been fined $10,500 and cited for contempt for his "insolent behavior."

The commission, in a formal order issued Thursday, said Peter LaPorta should not get the "mistaken impression that the commission will allow judges and former judges to ignore its directive with impunity," referring to his failure to show up at a scheduled disciplinary hearing.

"The respondent should not act under the mistaken assumption that this case will merely go away," said Steve Chappell, chairman of the commission.

LaPorta had been accused of improperly taking money from a client and failing to pay more than $8,000 in parking tickets. The complaint said LaPorta took $24,000 from Lydia Harrison to pay a bribe to Mexican officials to get her granddaughter released from custody in that country.

The commission said there was no evidence that LaPorta ever did anything to secure the release from jail of the grandmother, but he took the money while wearing his judge's robe and attending to official court business.

LaPorta never showed up at the scheduled June 29 hearing on the case.

He is barred from holding a judicial office in Nevada.

LaPorta could not be reached for comment.

The commission ordered special prosecutor Mary Boetsch to file an action in District Court in Las Vegas to reduce the fine to a legal judgment against LaPorta and to file a show cause order in court why LaPorta should not be held in contempt.

The commission intends to issue a subpoena ordering LaPorta to appear before the commission Sept. 22. If he fails, another contempt citation may be sought.

The commission also said it is turning over to the State Bar of Nevada for possible disciplinary action the issue of LaPorta's attorney, Patrick McDonald, failing to appear at the June 29 hearing.

McDonald, two days before the hearing, notified the commission that LaPorta would be out of Las Vegas and would not attend the hearing. McDonald did not say whether he would attend. After his failure to appear, McDonald notified the commission he no longer represented LaPorta.