Department 19, Department 20, and Department 22 Election Guide

  • Law

Today we’re taking a look at three races for district court judge (because one on them isn’t much of a race). Vying for the open bench in Department 19 we have Justice Court Judge William “Bill” Kephart facing off against Cliff Marcek. In Department 20, Nicholas Anthony Perrino is challenging Judge Jerry Tao. Finally, in Department 22, we have Judge Susan Johnson fighting for reelection against Jacob Hafter (whose own mom is not endorsing him-see RJ).

In other news, a recorded debate between attorneys/candidates for lieutenant governor Mark Hutchison and Lucy Flores will air today. [RJ]

Who should be elected in District Court Department 19?



Who should be elected in District Court Department 20?



Who should be elected in District Court Department 22?


28 Comments
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Anonymous
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Anonymous
September 30, 2014 3:35 pm

I get that these races are incredibly important but selfishly I wish we'd get a break from daily polling.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
September 30, 2014 3:36 pm

Anyone but Hafter. Seriously. Anyone.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
September 30, 2014 4:07 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

BK Hottie over Hafter?

Anonymous
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Anonymous
September 30, 2014 4:11 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Troy Fox?

Anonymous
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Anonymous
September 30, 2014 4:12 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Stop trying to make fetch happen! It's not going to happen!

Anonymous
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Anonymous
September 30, 2014 4:33 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Awesome Mean Girls quote …

Anonymous
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Anonymous
September 30, 2014 4:26 pm

Is anyone else completely sick of the now daily fundraiser parties? I gave early but apparently that doesn't matter.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
September 30, 2014 5:41 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

I second that.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
September 30, 2014 11:03 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Candidates need money. Nobody has money in this economy, except for Eglet.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
December 29, 2014 8:45 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

@4:03 Vannah gives far more than Eglet. Then he shoots his mouth off on tape bragging about owning his judicial puppets!

Anonymous
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Anonymous
September 30, 2014 5:21 pm

I said it before, and I will say it again – if your own mom will not vote for you Hafter, I am not going to vote for you.

Johnson gets my vote. Period.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
September 30, 2014 6:47 pm

Anyone got any good reasons for Cliff Marcek over Bill Kephart?

Anonymous
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Anonymous
September 30, 2014 7:07 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

So he'll finally stop running.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
September 30, 2014 8:00 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

I've only appeared in front of Kephart one time and he came off as one of the biggest douches I've ever seen on the bench. Maybe I just caught him on a bad day, but I wasn't a fan of his judicial demeanor. The hearing wasn't that substantive so I can't say how I feel about his legal abilities. I'll still vote for Cliff Marcek over him.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
September 30, 2014 8:22 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

I'm merely guessing but if you have only appeared in front of Bill once, you obviously don't handle criminal matters. So you dabbled in an unfamiliar area, probably had no clue what you were doing, and Kephart was not as nice and patient with you as you would have liked. Does that about sum it up?

Anonymous
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Anonymous
September 30, 2014 8:36 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Based on Kephart's history as a prosecutor, I would never vote for him. See State v. Honeycutt, State v. Steese, and State v. Lobato.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
September 30, 2014 8:52 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Herndon was involved in Steese too. Plenty of blame to go around.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
September 30, 2014 11:32 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

@1:22 PM – That doesn't sum it up. It was a civil matter. I don't normally handle civil matters in Justice Court and I don't do criminal, which is why I've only appeared in front of "Bill" once. I wasn't dabbling in an unfamiliar area, but I appreciate your condescension. Regardless, I stand by my original assertion that he acted like a douche. I don't expect him to be nice and patient, but I do expect him to act like a judge. I can only assume by the tone of your comment that you know him personally?

Anonymous
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Anonymous
October 1, 2014 1:48 am
Reply to  Anonymous

Personally and professionally. I have never seen him handle civil calendar but have appeared before him hundreds of times and he was always courteous and professional.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
September 30, 2014 9:05 pm

@1:52 — Lobato is probably my biggest beef with the Nevada criminal justice system. The fact that Kephart presided over that mess makes him unelectable in my mind. I'm not voting for Herndon either. Judges who once hid evidence as PA's shouldn't be on the bench.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
October 1, 2014 4:51 am
Reply to  Anonymous

No matter what he has done since the Lobato case, that is not going to be forgotten. Period.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
September 30, 2014 10:31 pm

1:22 P.M.–Kephart is a JP. Yes they do mostly criminal stuff. Kephart handled the civil calendar or took it on. Everyone thought he did a good job, by the way. Tough choice between Marcek and Kephart. Marcek will be better on civil and Kephart better on criminal. Kephart will do ok on civil though. I don't see Marcek liking or doing criminal.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
October 1, 2014 2:22 am
Reply to  Anonymous

One thing about the ex-DA's or ex-PDs is they understand trial practice, evidence, jury instructions, and are used to examining witnesses in court as opposed to in deposition. I think that's why they tend to make such good judges–Barker, Herndon, Adair, Bell, Wall, to name a few. I am voting for Kephart.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
October 1, 2014 4:09 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

It is easier to learn a criminal docket than it is to learn the vast area of civil practice. Stu Bell was versed in both civil and criminal practice. So was David Wall. A criminal calendar is a lot easier too. When all the cases plead or get resolved, the judges can kick back. A civil docket is never ending. There is hardly ever an easy day in civil. Folks fight more over money than over liberty. The learning curve for a criminal specialist is enormous when shifting gears to a civil docket. Criminal has a lot of hard and fast rules because of the rights of the accused and statutes. Not so in civil. There are plenty of civil attorneys who try cases. With Davidson v. Herndon, you have two attorneys experienced in trial practice. With Kephart v. Marcek, you have two attorneys experienced in trial practice.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
October 1, 2014 4:34 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Really, there is only one hard and fast rule for judges to remember in this state – be "tough on crime," or you'll draw an opponent who will claim you are "soft on crime." So, with that in mind, err on the side of the government. Even when they're wrong, rule for them.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
October 1, 2014 4:45 am

Wow, people don't like Nick Perrino, why? Not a huge Tao fan.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
October 1, 2014 7:37 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Purchase Pro mainly. If he was one of their legal counsel, major scary. He seems like a bit of a carpetbagger too. Most of his legal experience seems to be from out of state.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
October 2, 2014 4:18 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

I like Tao. Haven't been in front of him much lately, but the times I have been he was very professional and seemed like he was trying hard at his job-unlike some other judges.