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- Cal Potter III passed away last Wednesday. [RJ]
- Family Court Judge William Potter was suspended for two months without pay. [News3LV]
RIP Cal Potter III
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- Posted on 7 years ago
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No relationship, BTW. RIP Cal; get some help, other guy.
I had the opportunity to work with Cal on a case, and he was an incredible attorney who treated all of his clients with respect. It is a great loss to our community.
Cal Potter was a nice man. Sad he passed.
How William Potter ever became a judge is a mystery. Not an impressive person at all. He will consider himself the victim in this exchange.
What's such a mystery as to how he was elected? The race, back in '06, came down to him and Bob Lueck.
Often attorneys profess astonishment that certain people are on the bench and opine "How did he(or she) ever become a judge?!"
Simple. Most of are judges are initially elected to the position. Only a minority of them are initially appointed to the post.
With a system of filling most vacancies by election(rather than appointment), anything can, and will, happen.
Does anyone have the video from the hearing wherein the woman was handcuffed? If so, will you post it?
I've never had a problem with the decisions that Judge Potter makes. I think he's one of the better family court judges as far as his judicial abilities go. But I voted against him in the last election specifically because he does not have the temperament necessary to be a judge. When there's a 50/50 chance of the judge losing his temper and screaming during any random hearing, there's a problem there. He needs some anger management.
It is not unusual, I was personally insulted by a judge by questioning my ability as a lawyer by making my record by applying the correct law. There is something wrong there.
Sounds like you did something right to make the judge attack you personally.
There is no excuse for making personal attacks on an officer of the Court. If you are that miserable, you should consider a new line of work.
Zip your lip, judges, the shit you pull gets out. I don't care who you are. You are a public official who is suppose to apply the law. That is it. Not Nevada test site rocket science here.
Luis, is that you?
No, Venus fly trap, it isn't.
I agree with 11:56 that Potter is a decent judge. It's his temper. If you cannot keep it in check while you are at a disciplinary hearing, you have a problem. I've had him yell at me, yell at clients and scream to a litigant not to blasmy himself in court (that I really didn't agree with). I would like to see Potter continue, but with his anger issues addressed. The counsel made the right decision by requiring anger management and anti-bullying. Please, Bill, listen to what everyone is saying.
There comes a point where if a judge is so consistently livid and explosive with little or no meaningful provocation, that it can no longer be said they are "a decent judge" on account of knowing the law adequately well and reaching adequate rulings.
There are scores of excellent Family Court practitioners who know the law as well as, and in some cases far better than, this judge, and who would have the temperament for the job.
It sometimes gets to a point where a judge's temperament becomes the main issue, and the adequacy of their legal knowledge becomes secondary.
The judge, although admittedly adequate as to knowledge and rulings, is not so brilliant and indispensable that this incessant lunacy and abuse must be tolerated. And this is an area of law wherein the clients are usually present to witness their attorneys eviscerated for no good reason. That's bad for business.
Again, there are many skilled attorneys who would know and apply the law as well or better and who would not constantly explode. Although this judge in question is adequate on the law and rulings, the poster at 11:56 is the first time I ever heard anyone say he is one of the better Family Judges.
After all, he's had almost three years since the time he held the attorney in contempt, yet the panel is convinced he still has no notion concerning the concept of contempt of court, and the steps and procedures which need to be taken. Plus he either fails to understand, or doesn't care, that he can't call reporters to give "his side" of hotly litigated cases he is presiding over. So, tell me again how he is one of the "better ones" on the bench.
I would say that I hope he takes this all as a learning experience but I don't see how. He had approximately three years form the occurrences in question and he demonstrated almost zero insight or growth, and demonstrated that he still knows next to nothing on contempt, and knows little or nothing as to what constitutes prohibited or ex parte communications. And as to his temper, he still can't even control it long enough to get through a hearing which is directly centered on the issue of how he can't control his temper.
So, 11:56 and 12:31 would clearly disagree with my assessment, and believe he is a very valuable judicial resource which should be preserved. Hopefully, they are right and I'm wrong. But the vast improvement required will take a real commitment. Perhaps the Psych. Assessment will recommend some classes or therapy which will help.
I hope he gets whatever help he needs, but I disagree with the notion that we need to "rehabilitate" someone who is serving at public expense in a position of public trust like this. Being a judge should be the honor of a lifetime, and needs to be treated as such by anyone who holds that position. If, after several years on the bench, someone needs to take a time-out and go to special classes or evaluations in order to understand this, then they need to be gone from that job.
Potter has a brain. I hope he gets the help he needs.
11:56 here. I agree that his personal issues keep him from being a good judge, that's why I said that I voted against him in the last election. It's not worth having a decent judge on the bench if he's unable to control his temper. And when I say he's one of the "better" family court judges, you have to remember that Judges Pomrenze, Ochoa, Brown, Moss and Hughes are all down there. So it's not difficult to get into the middle echelon if you know the law and apply it.
To:2:34–2:25 here again, and I could not agree with you more.
You hit the nail squarely on the head.
But since the commission is giving him the opportunity to rehabilitate, and to improve his temperament and avoid the errors which resulted in the discipline, I can only hope that he really commits himself to substantial improvement and far greater self-awareness.
FYI – It's bonus announcement day on above the law.
$100,000 for a 7 year? Holy monkey crap.
Why would anyone practising in NV care about bonuses of big law firms? We have no firms here that pay those kind of bonuses or salaries.
I care because a good number of my friends from law school are still at big firms.
$100k bonus sounds nice, but having a life outside of work sounds nicer. I moved from a small firm to a big firm (not NY big) early in my career and I learned very quickly that it wasn't the type of life I wanted. I'm much happier when I can spend nights and weekends with my family. Some people are cut out for that world. Not me.
Rest in Peace Cal J. Potter. III. Not only did you remain human, you remained a gentleman, until the very end.