According to a press release, US Magistrate Judge Peggy A. Leen will be retiring on April 30, 2019, after 18 years of service to the Court. Information about applying for her job can be found here.
MGM’s suit against the October 1 shooting victims hits them at their most vulnerable. [Time]
The AG’s office filed an appeal on the TRO that halted the execution of Scott Dozier. [LasVegasNow]
A panel of the 9th Circuit ruled that the Second Amendment protects the right to openly carry a gun in public for self defense. [LasVegasNow]
The latest on the Ocean Fleming/dirty cops case. [Nevada Current]
Metro paid $500,000 to settle a lawsuit involving two officers who tased a man until he died. [Fox5Vegas]
Here’s a look at the legal opinions or political commentary of a Trump appointed Judge James Ho.[KNPR]
First. Since no one is commenting on these riveting articles – yesterday someone posted an ABA article about GT in NYC getting slammed on their outrageous fees. Discuss among yourselves. For me – LOL.
People commented on that yesterday. I know I did. More judges should police fees more vigilantly.
Guest
Anonymous
July 26, 2018 6:32 pm
I don't get it. You could have two partners and two associates bill 40 hours each on this for like $120,000. How the hell do you get to four times that?
Not a single person wonders what Hoplophobia is? Or who coined the phrase? Hint:Col. Jeff Cooper (PBUH).
Guest
Anonymous
July 26, 2018 8:50 pm
I am excited to see, like I always am, the number of applicants coming out of the woodwork because they are shooting for a raise. The family court judgeships are the most common offenders, but we'll probably see some for Leen's spot as well.
What does it say about Family Court Judges that they are almost always getting a pay raise? When I started my own SOLO office, I paid about $500 for a small office, hired a paralegal cheap, put out some ads for a couple thousand. Total cost around 3-4K. I'm not great at business or the law to be frank, I self evaluate to be competent in both. However, I have averaged around 5K a week and actually only had a few weeks where I made less than that. My point is that if I can do that then, at least to me, it is a baseline. Any Family Law Judge that is getting a pay raise must have been really, really bad at the law or business. Just a thought.
I'm cautiously optimistic. Our federal judges and magistrates are quality across the board, with maybe one or two exceptions. I hope they get someone smart and tough – and not someone looking to semi-retire.
Several years ago, I was on a panel assigned to pick a Federal Magistrate for Southern Nevada. I was amazed at how much pure gossip determined the outcome. One applicant was a gay man, and several members were openly homophobic. I hope things have changed by now.
I can not disagree more with the opinion that "Our federal judges and magistrates are quality across the board." What I will say is that most members of our federal judiciary looks like Learned Hand when compared with many on our state judiciary. However that is like setting a broom stick on the group and saying that you have the bar to exceed. However in timelieness in rendering decisions, our federal judiciary makes Delaney look fast.
Sadly our Federal judiciary is unfortunately heavily draconianly white, LDS and AUSA-centric. I know the applicant of whom 3:22 apeaks, and he was treated abysmally.
To: 2:05. Your argument is that since you are able to earn about $240,000. per year, and consider yourself neither that great at Law or at business, and therefore any Family Court Judge who, after a raise is making less than that $240,000 you earn or less than they were earning in private practice, that they therefore must be bad in business and Law.
Based on you analysis, anyone in the Law, whether a judge or an attorney in private practice, must really suck if they earn anything less than the $240,000.per year that you earn.
Well, that's your view and you're committed to it, but I'm committed to my view that your highly rigid analysis, which essentially sweeps half the legal community into condemnation, is myopic, as well as not supported by anything.
If you limited your comments to they must not be good at business, I guess that's a possible argument. But if they also must suck at the Law because they earn less than your $240,000.,I just don't see it.
I guess the broader point from 2:05 is that he considers himself no superstar, so someone practicing like 20 years can't be that great at either business of Law if they can't equal his $240,000.
That view actually would have a lot of support from the veteran attorneys in the Bar–at least from those earning $240,000. or more.
Those earning like(after over-head) $100,000.or less after 20 years of practice(and they are out there) will never agree with that view.
Who wants to admit they really suck at a profession they have devoted their life to?
Yeah, but isn't that $240k gross and not net? If you can't gross $240,000 in billings a year, you do suck. Jesus may love you and your kids may (or may not) respect you, but you're a shitty lawyer and/or business person.
2:05– your analysis oversimplifies matters greatly. Family Court judges come (or should come) from Family Law cases. If a Family Law practitioner charges $200 an hour (mid-range for a solo practitioner) and can bill (not work, bill) 40 hours in their week, they will bill $8000 a week. If they have collections of 60% of the hours that they bill (which is frankly high in Family Law), they will have $4800 coming in the door, from which to pay rent, pay that paralegal that you hired, pay the copier, phones, the malpractice insurance, the electricity, the Health Insurance, etc. As a solo practitioner, you are the president and the janitor. You are doing the filing, the e-filing, the billing, the A/P and the A/R. It is substantially less….maybe as little as $2000 a week.
Now they see a Judgeship. If you look at the most recent additions to the Family Court Bench:
Salary Benefits Total
Rebecca L Burton $159,560.54 $48,680.09 $208,240.63
Rena Hughes $159,560.54 $48,680.09 $208,240.63
They have paid vacations. They have insurance. They have job security, and no need to worry about where the next case is coming from, who is paying the bills or even getting bills out to the clients. They work as little as they need to and never are worried that they are getting sued for malpractice. Frankly 2:05, if you do not look at the Bench, you are not paying attention.
I always think of the line of Obi-Wan about when Alderaan exploded when I think of the bar exam.
"I felt a great disturbance in the Force, as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror, and were suddenly silenced. I fear something terrible has happened."
Hilarious. Good luck to all the test takers who are by now decompressing with a few cold ones at the nearest eating and drinking establishment.
Guest
Anonymous
July 27, 2018 12:19 am
(Bleeping) Irony! The State Bar of Nevada actually has an article on its Website called "No Good Deed Goes Unpunished." When you think about all of the good deeds that you are doing, just remember that these are the people who are regulating your license and are perfectly fine shoving your good deeds right up your hind quarter.
First. Since no one is commenting on these riveting articles – yesterday someone posted an ABA article about GT in NYC getting slammed on their outrageous fees. Discuss among yourselves. For me – LOL.
That GT case was in New York. It would never happen in any other jurisdiction.
People commented on that yesterday. I know I did. More judges should police fees more vigilantly.
I don't get it. You could have two partners and two associates bill 40 hours each on this for like $120,000. How the hell do you get to four times that?
Does GT stand for Grand Theft?
Well Old Man Traurig just died last week so the dirt is too new for him to be spinning yet.
http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/greenberg_traurig_co_founder_robert_traurig_dies_at_93
That's hilarious @12:36. Bravo.
Not a single person wonders what Hoplophobia is? Or who coined the phrase? Hint:Col. Jeff Cooper (PBUH).
I am excited to see, like I always am, the number of applicants coming out of the woodwork because they are shooting for a raise. The family court judgeships are the most common offenders, but we'll probably see some for Leen's spot as well.
What does it say about Family Court Judges that they are almost always getting a pay raise? When I started my own SOLO office, I paid about $500 for a small office, hired a paralegal cheap, put out some ads for a couple thousand. Total cost around 3-4K. I'm not great at business or the law to be frank, I self evaluate to be competent in both. However, I have averaged around 5K a week and actually only had a few weeks where I made less than that. My point is that if I can do that then, at least to me, it is a baseline. Any Family Law Judge that is getting a pay raise must have been really, really bad at the law or business. Just a thought.
I'm cautiously optimistic. Our federal judges and magistrates are quality across the board, with maybe one or two exceptions. I hope they get someone smart and tough – and not someone looking to semi-retire.
If I read correctly, the public will not know who applies
Several years ago, I was on a panel assigned to pick a Federal Magistrate for Southern Nevada. I was amazed at how much pure gossip determined the outcome. One applicant was a gay man, and several members were openly homophobic. I hope things have changed by now.
I can not disagree more with the opinion that "Our federal judges and magistrates are quality across the board." What I will say is that most members of our federal judiciary looks like Learned Hand when compared with many on our state judiciary. However that is like setting a broom stick on the group and saying that you have the bar to exceed. However in timelieness in rendering decisions, our federal judiciary makes Delaney look fast.
Sadly our Federal judiciary is unfortunately heavily draconianly white, LDS and AUSA-centric. I know the applicant of whom 3:22 apeaks, and he was treated abysmally.
To: 2:05. Your argument is that since you are able to earn about $240,000. per year, and consider yourself neither that great at Law or at business, and therefore any Family Court Judge who, after a raise is making less than that $240,000 you earn or less than they were earning in private practice, that they therefore must be bad in business and Law.
Based on you analysis, anyone in the Law, whether a judge or an attorney in private practice, must really suck if they earn anything less than the $240,000.per year that you earn.
Well, that's your view and you're committed to it, but I'm committed to my view that your highly rigid analysis, which essentially sweeps half the legal community into condemnation, is myopic, as well as not supported by anything.
If you limited your comments to they must not be good at business, I guess that's a possible argument. But if they also must suck at the Law because they earn less than your $240,000.,I just don't see it.
I guess the broader point from 2:05 is that he considers himself no superstar, so someone practicing like 20 years can't be that great at either business of Law if they can't equal his $240,000.
That view actually would have a lot of support from the veteran attorneys in the Bar–at least from those earning $240,000. or more.
Those earning like(after over-head) $100,000.or less after 20 years of practice(and they are out there) will never agree with that view.
Who wants to admit they really suck at a profession they have devoted their life to?
Yeah, but isn't that $240k gross and not net? If you can't gross $240,000 in billings a year, you do suck. Jesus may love you and your kids may (or may not) respect you, but you're a shitty lawyer and/or business person.
2:05– your analysis oversimplifies matters greatly. Family Court judges come (or should come) from Family Law cases. If a Family Law practitioner charges $200 an hour (mid-range for a solo practitioner) and can bill (not work, bill) 40 hours in their week, they will bill $8000 a week. If they have collections of 60% of the hours that they bill (which is frankly high in Family Law), they will have $4800 coming in the door, from which to pay rent, pay that paralegal that you hired, pay the copier, phones, the malpractice insurance, the electricity, the Health Insurance, etc. As a solo practitioner, you are the president and the janitor. You are doing the filing, the e-filing, the billing, the A/P and the A/R. It is substantially less….maybe as little as $2000 a week.
Now they see a Judgeship. If you look at the most recent additions to the Family Court Bench:
Salary Benefits Total
Rebecca L Burton $159,560.54 $48,680.09 $208,240.63
Rena Hughes $159,560.54 $48,680.09 $208,240.63
They have paid vacations. They have insurance. They have job security, and no need to worry about where the next case is coming from, who is paying the bills or even getting bills out to the clients. They work as little as they need to and never are worried that they are getting sued for malpractice. Frankly 2:05, if you do not look at the Bench, you are not paying attention.
And don't forget about that pension.
Wasn't the bar exam this week? Ah–what memories.
I always think of the line of Obi-Wan about when Alderaan exploded when I think of the bar exam.
"I felt a great disturbance in the Force, as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror, and were suddenly silenced. I fear something terrible has happened."
Hilarious. Good luck to all the test takers who are by now decompressing with a few cold ones at the nearest eating and drinking establishment.
(Bleeping) Irony! The State Bar of Nevada actually has an article on its Website called "No Good Deed Goes Unpunished." When you think about all of the good deeds that you are doing, just remember that these are the people who are regulating your license and are perfectly fine shoving your good deeds right up your hind quarter.
https://www.nvbar.org/member-services-3895/member-benefits/alps-lawyers-professional-liability-insurance/article-no-good-deed-goes-unpunished/