District Court workload in county up in 2006

Sam Skolnik

Saturday, Feb. 17, 2007 | 7:16 a.m.

District Court judges in Clark County presided over more criminal and civil cases last year than ever before, according to newly released statistics.

Twenty-one civil and criminal judges completed 1,824 days in trial in 2006, while presiding over 591 trials. That compares with 516 trials presided over by the same judges the previous year.

The number of settlement conferences in civil and family cases also rose, from 943 in 2005 to 972 last year. Settlement conferences can bring resolution to cases through mediation and other nontrial hearings.

Court administrators credit the uptick in part to the court's Nevada Short Trial Program, in which parties to civil suits were given the option of completing their trial in one day. Less than $50,000 has to be at issue in these cases. Last year 48 short trials were completed, compared with 45 in 2005.

The format of the program, which was recently granted a national innovation award, allows the court to better use much-needed courtroom space, administrators say.

Also, they said the Clark County Commission's funding of a hearing master for criminal cases - who accepts pleas and schedules trials and sentencing dates - enabled District Court judges to start their trials earlier and complete them faster.

Family Division judges completed 1,456 days in trial last year, according to the court, while presiding over 1,418 trials - meaning that the judges often handled more than one trial per day. Those numbers were slightly down from 2005.

"The District Court judges, whether in their own courtrooms or conducting settlement conferences in their offices, worked hard and produced outstanding results in 2006," Chief District Judge Kathy Hardcastle said in a statement. "I'm very proud of their accomplishments because it shows the community that we are committed to making sure people obtain their day in court."