The Right Time For Me

  • Law

  • Justice Nancy Saitta is retiring effective August 8, 2016. According to a press release from the Supreme Court:

“After nearly 20 years as a judicial officer, with 10 of those years as a Justice of the Nevada Supreme Court, I have decided that it is time to move on to the next chapter,” Justice Saitta said. 

“After careful consideration, I am confident that this is the right time for me. My work on the court has been tremendously rewarding. I consider myself fortunate to have had the opportunity to be of service to the courts and the citizens of the State of Nevada. I am grateful to have had such an amazing experience.”

Justice Saitta, 65, said she intends to continue working on child and juvenile advocacy issues and will continue to chair the Blue Ribbon for Kids Commission, the Coalition to Combat Criminal Sexual Exploitation of Children and the Juvenile Justice Reform Commission. She also will serve as a senior judge. 

The seven permanent members of the Commission on Judicial Selection will now recruit, screen, and interview applicants. The Commission then nominates three finalists from which the Governor makes his appointment.  This thorough, complex, and public process usually takes about 4 months to complete.

All applicants will complete an online application. The Commission will review materials digitally saving copy costs and staff time.

The Commission on Judicial Selection is composed of seven permanent members – the Supreme Court Chief Justice, three non-attorneys appointed by the Governor, and three attorneys appointed by the State Bar of Nevada. Neither the Governor nor the Bar may appoint more than two permanent members from the same political party, and cannot appoint two members from the same county.

  • You can also view this article mentioning the fact that her retirement comes months after her name surfaced in connection to the HOA scandal.  Saitta denies any involvement. [RJ]
  • An attempted murder case is dismissed after the victims, the defendants’ parents, refuse to testify raising the question of whether the deputy public defender crossed an ethical line. [RJ]
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Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 28, 2016 3:25 pm

I got $5 that Abbi Silver is gonna put her name in for the spot

anonymous
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anonymous
June 28, 2016 3:41 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Good.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 28, 2016 4:27 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Silver and Tao sucks, Johnsons suck. The only one from Eighth I might consider is Togliatti.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 28, 2016 3:51 pm

Silver will put her name in. I pray to God that she will not get it.

Lawyer Bird
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Lawyer Bird
June 28, 2016 6:15 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

She's soooo very bad

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 28, 2016 3:58 pm

It should be NO ONE from the Nevada Court of appeals. They just did the appointment there but on the other hand it makes sense as a logical promotion. If it is someone like Silver, then there will be the list of people from District Court that wants her spot. Then it will be someone appointed to fill in the District Court spot. Lots of decisions to be made I guess.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 28, 2016 5:07 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

It only makes sense as a logical promotion if the CoA (i.e. the Shitwork Panel) was doing an outstanding job pushing opinions and orders out. They aren't. They are the third slowest panel in the state.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 28, 2016 4:20 pm

Two words: Ron Israel

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 28, 2016 4:27 pm

Two words: no thanks

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 28, 2016 4:39 pm

Denton.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 29, 2016 7:50 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Absolutely!!!!

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 28, 2016 4:46 pm

Don't forget the North

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 28, 2016 4:48 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

The North remembers.

anonymous
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anonymous
June 28, 2016 5:18 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Flanagan is good. Don't know about anyone else up there.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 28, 2016 7:19 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Winter is coming.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 28, 2016 4:47 pm

I nominate Jessie Walsh. The Supreme Court already overrules her poor decisions already, but not until millions of dollars are spent. Might as well put her on the court where she can be overruled by her fellow justices ab initio. It will save everyone a lot of money.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 28, 2016 4:48 pm

It won't be Cadish. Mary Chapman.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 28, 2016 4:52 pm

Saitta was from Las Vegas, should be someone from someone down here. I like Dave Barker.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 28, 2016 5:00 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

I like Dave Barker also but he doesn't seem to necessarily have the appellate mindset. You need someone political and a bit of a climber (Silver, sit down). Togliatti maybe. Experience on both criminal and civil. Gonzalez maybe.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 28, 2016 5:17 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

John Benedict, although he is civil. Jason Frierson.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 28, 2016 5:38 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Uh no thank you.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 28, 2016 5:43 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Anybody, but Beverly Salhanick. Please.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 28, 2016 9:03 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Umm… not Benedict. Yikes.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 28, 2016 9:19 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

He was always pleasant, and smart when I dealt with him.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 28, 2016 4:53 pm

Sandoval should appoint Harmony Letizia to fill Saitta's seat. She isn't qualified to sit as a Justice Court judge, but hell let's put her on the NV Supreme Court. Either that or Zohra Bakhtary.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 28, 2016 5:11 pm

I am not supporting Letizia anymore, because of the James Murphy brigade, who is endorsing her.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 28, 2016 5:45 pm

Oh the irony 10 years later from Saitta defeating Becker on her Guinn ruling. From the Nevada Appeal: "Saitta, 55, criticized. . . a 2003 decision that said lawmakers could pass a big tax measure without a two-thirds majority. Saitta also questioned Becker's financial support, contending more than a third of Becker's campaign contributions came from special interests. Saitta was mentioned in a political corruption trial in which former strip club mogul Michael Galardi claimed she favored club owners in a lawsuit after he gave her a $10,000 campaign contribution. She denied it." Saitta was far more liberal than Becker but snowed the electorate that she was anti-tax. And Saitta attacking anyone for being corrupt and beholden to special interests is a laugher.

Lawyer Bird
Guest
Lawyer Bird
June 28, 2016 6:17 pm

How many poles will Silver need to climb to get noticed for this one. I'm sure she'll make the final 3. Below-average intelligence with well above average pole climbing skills.

Legal Beagle
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Legal Beagle
June 1, 2017 6:01 am
Reply to  Lawyer Bird

Disagree. Dedicated judge with high levels of intelligence.

Lawyer Bird
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Lawyer Bird
June 28, 2016 6:21 pm

Tegan is a nutburger (PD who got att murder dismissed) but I don't think it's unethical to truthfully answer questions like "what happens if we refuse to show up to testify."

Frankly, I'm surprised the DA didn't have the parents arrested and sat in jail. They've done it for less serious crimes than stabbing.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 28, 2016 6:50 pm
Reply to  Lawyer Bird

Did Goodman really state on the record "You guys want to wipe your hands of it,” Goodman said to Heap. “You want to put it on me in case something happens. So f–––, I’m not a coward"? Not exactly judicial.

Lawyer Bird
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Lawyer Bird
June 28, 2016 7:28 pm
Reply to  Lawyer Bird

Irrelevant. Name recognition.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 28, 2016 6:28 pm

Not many attorneys with civil or criminal litigation experience. Frierson is not a complete leap. I could even go for a few insurance guys, Keating or Eric Freeman.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 28, 2016 6:46 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

When is the last time that a Governor skipped over sitting judges to appoint a Supreme Court Justice?

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 28, 2016 8:42 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Kris Pickering

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 28, 2016 8:48 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Kris Pickering ran and won election. Pickering was not appointed.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 28, 2016 6:33 pm

What about John Glenn Watkins? He was liked when he ran. Marti Ashcroft?

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 28, 2016 9:06 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

No to Ashcroft. No thanks.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 28, 2016 6:58 pm

Leavitt is not a horrible choice.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 28, 2016 7:10 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Which one? if you are suggesting the lipstick special needs one, I beg to differ.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 28, 2016 7:19 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Who is the Leavitt who does bk? I like him.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 28, 2016 7:28 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Sue Johnson is no smarter than Leavitt.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 29, 2016 10:57 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Leavitt? Really? Must be a friend or family member.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 29, 2016 10:58 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Andy or Dennis would be ok.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 28, 2016 7:27 pm

There are very few attorneys who I think would make good judges. This blog helps confirm that for me.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 28, 2016 7:29 pm

I know it is skipping a few steps, but I like Chris Lee.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 28, 2016 9:00 pm

Sonny Bailey, she is smart. She has a civil and criminal back ground.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 28, 2016 9:20 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Thanks Sonny. What about Tao?

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 28, 2016 9:34 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Tao is a toad, no thanks.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
July 3, 2016 2:41 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Sonny is not smart

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 28, 2016 10:11 pm

Joe Hardy.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 29, 2016 12:11 am
Reply to  Anonymous

He doesn't have enough years of experience does he?

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 29, 2016 8:39 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Picking from an admittedly bad group at the EJDC, Herndon is the best civil judge IMHO, he'd make a great justice. Gonzales or Togliatti, too.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 29, 2016 9:00 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

All of the judges that have been brought up in a positive light, Barker, Togliatti, Herndon and Gonzales, are all close to going senior status. Barker has been pretty open about hanging it up right around the end of the year, there have been rumors about Togs and Gonzales as well. Herndon might be sticking around but he's kind of had an Office Space moment in the past couple of months and he's showing up late, not really giving too much of a shit, etc., so I'm guessing he's close but that's pure speculation.

Anonymous
Guest
Anonymous
June 28, 2016 11:19 pm

What happens if Hardy gets the post, and he has only one opponent, does that allow other people to submit apps for his department, since Gale would be the only one left?

anonymous
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anonymous
June 29, 2016 5:29 am
Reply to  Anonymous

Bruce has waited 20 years for the stars to line up in just such a way. Don't ruin it for him.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 29, 2016 7:48 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Love the saddle shoes and the mullet.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 29, 2016 10:13 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

The vacancy opens too late for the seat to be run for this general election. Will be up in 2018, as would any vacancy created by the appointment.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
July 6, 2016 12:41 am
Reply to  Anonymous

A non-issue.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
July 2, 2016 1:34 am

The only reason I wouldn't want Magge McLetchie on the bench is that there'd be no one left to force sunshine into dark judicial recesses.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
July 18, 2016 5:37 pm

You don't think early retirement has anything to do with her tipping off Nancy Quon?

Anonymous
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Anonymous
July 18, 2016 6:31 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

No I don't think it has anything to do with her tipping off Nancy. I think it has everything to do with it.