Senate votes to put question of creating intermediate court on ballot

By Cy Ryan

Friday, April 15, 2011 | 2:05 a.m.

CARSON CITY — Voters in the last election defeated setting up an intermediate court of appeals by a 53 percent to 46 percent margin.

But the Senate voted Thursday 16-5 to put the issue before voters again in 2014.

State Sen. Michael Roberson, R-Las Vegas, said the state’s courts are overloaded with cases. In the 2010 election, he said, the people “were in a mood to vote ‘no’ on a lot of things.”

Sen. John Lee, D-North Las Vegas, questioned whether a new building would be required for the new court of three judges.

Roberson said the proposed court would use existing facilities. Its $1.3 million cost would be for salaries and staff.

Sen. Greg Brower, R-Reno, said Nevada is one of the few states that does not have an intermediate court between the District Court and the state Supreme Court. He said there is an “increasingly difficult backlog of cases.”

“Let the voters decide one more time,” Brower said.

The three intermediate court judges would initially be appointed and then have to run for six-year terms.

Voters in 1992 also rejected creating an intermediate court.

The measure now goes to the Assembly. If passed this session of the Legislature, it must be approved again in the 2013 session and then submitted to the voters.