Thursday, June 7, 2007 | 7:13 a.m.
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The budget was tight this year in Carson City. But much to their relief, Nevada judges and court administrators ended up getting most of what they had asked for.
In short, that meant a half-dozen new judges for Clark County's Eighth Judicial District, and more money for judicial salaries and for the county's innovative Mental Health Court.
The three funding-related bills passed toward the final days of the session. Several top Clark County judges and administrators flew to Carson City this week and last for some down-to-the-wire lobbying.
Citing rapidly increased workloads, the Eighth Judicial District initially had asked the Legislature to fund 10 new judges. Clark County has fewer judges per capita than every Western state, including Nevada, judges argued, and the administration of justice has suffered as a result.
Hardest hit, they said, was Family Court, which had requested six of the 10 new judges. That court handles divorces, paternity claims, adoptions and child abuse allegations, among other things.
Legislators granted the Eighth District six new judges, five of whom will be designated for Family Court. The sixth will preside over civil cases.
"We're very satisfied that we'll get some relief, especially for this court," Family Court Presiding Judge Art Ritchie said. "It will give us a huge opportunity to improve services."
More money also was allotted for the county's Mental Health Court, a specialty program that provides treatment and life skills training to mentally ill criminal defendants and probationers. Through the program, defendants are steered away from jail and toward independent lives.
There are about 75 people in the program, which funds help for participants , such as housing, medication and food stipends. Administrators had asked that , because of strong demand and the court's effectiveness, the program be doubled.
They got their wish, at least for the next year. First, Gov. Jim Gibbons allocated funding to continue Mental Health Court at the same size. Then the Legislature granted the program enough money - $916,000 - to add 75 more defendants for one year.
District Judge Jackie Glass, administrator of Mental Health Court, said after that money runs out, the county will pursue interim funding to continue the double-sized program until the Legislature meets again, in two years.
Glass said she was grateful to Gibbons and to key members of the Legislature who pushed for the increased funding. "We worked really hard to make this happen," she said. "It was a group effort."
Also, Nevada District Court judges and Supreme Court justices got pay raises - though not as large as they had wanted.
Now, District judges are paid $130,000 annually. The state's seven Supreme Court justices make $140,000. The 30 percent boost judges wanted would have raised their pay to $169,000 and $182,000, respectively.
After facing stinging bipartisan resistance to their proposal, judges came back to the Legislature with a more modest plan, and lawmakers bit. They passed a bill granting a 23 percent raise for District judges, to $160,000, and a 21 percent hike for Supreme Court Justices, to $170,000. The raises will go into effect in January 2009.
"In the spirit that money was tight, we reduced what we asked for," Chief District Judge Kathy Hardcastle said. "We're pleased with that."
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