Veterans Day 2014

  • Law

  • Happy Veterans Day and a special thank you to all those who have served for our country.
  • Unsuccessful candidate for district attorney, Raymond James “Jim” Duensing was convicted of three felony charges in his trial that overlapped the election. He will be sentenced in January and faces up to 12 years in jail for an incident relating to a traffic stop. [RJ]
  • As one of our commenters pointed out yesterday, you can go here to see who has applied for the three positions on the Court of Appeals. So far, candidates include Judge Susan Johnson, Judge Jerome Tao, Judge Abbi Silver (who each filed for one of the three departments) and Thomas D. Beatty, III and Aurora Maria Maskall. If you want to join this list, time is running short as applications are due by 5pm tomorrow.
  • Club Paradise, a Vegas strip club, sued three former managers and dancers alleging that they inflated customers’ credit card charges by false pretenses and/or forgeries. [8NewsNow]
  • Local attorney Jay Young is leading a double-life as a singer on Gladys Knight’s latest album, which makes you wonder who else among us is hiding their talents. [KNPR
36 Comments
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Anonymous
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Anonymous
November 11, 2014 3:44 pm

I think the only talent that we are hiding is the ability to bill 10 hours in 8 hours.

Anonymous
Guest
Anonymous
November 11, 2014 3:58 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

This made me laugh out loud. It's only funny 'cause it's true.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
November 11, 2014 4:33 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Only 10?

Anonymous
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Anonymous
November 11, 2014 6:30 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Amateur. I can bill at least 32 hours per day.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
November 11, 2014 7:52 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

You must be a construction defect attorney. LOL

Anonymous
Guest
Anonymous
November 11, 2014 7:27 pm

Why would Judge Johnson, Tao, or Silver apply for the Appeals Court. Johnson and Tao just got reelected to a six year term and Silver had no opponent. Anyone have any insight?

Anonymous
Guest
Anonymous
November 11, 2014 7:53 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Because they have nothing to lose in submitting their names, and even if they are selected, they would get senior status for the district court bench. Also, it would be a good step if they decided to run for the Supreme Court.

Anonymous
Guest
Anonymous
November 11, 2014 9:36 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

I think Brent Bryson should throw his fedora in the appellate court ring!

Anonymous
Guest
Anonymous
November 11, 2014 10:27 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

I wonder if an applicant can withdraw from one position and apply for a different one. Both Susan Johnson and Tom Beatty would make terrific appellate judges and they are both applying for the same position.

Anonymous
Guest
Anonymous
November 11, 2014 10:28 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

No. If you withdraw your application for one department, that's it. You can't reapply.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
November 11, 2014 11:04 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

So people must be waiting to the last minute to see who files in which department I guess.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
November 12, 2014 12:38 am
Reply to  Anonymous

Everyone except Atty Chris Rasmussen haha Perhaps he is the poster boy for their prudent ONE withdrawal and you're DONE.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
November 12, 2014 3:09 am
Reply to  Anonymous

11:53 – how could they be senior judges in district court ruling on cases and also be on the appellate court?

Anonymous
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Anonymous
November 12, 2014 3:16 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

They can't. But if they retire and aren't voted out of a district court seat then when they finally retire they can be a senior judge at the district court level even if they are voted out of their seat on the court of appeals. This is why Nancy Becker is able to be a senior judge, despite being beaten by Justice Saitta for her supreme court seat. The rule is you can't be a senior judge if you're ousted by the voters. But she was never defeated for the district court bench, so she can serve as a senior judge now–a good thing, as she does a good job.

Anonymous
Guest
Anonymous
November 11, 2014 8:54 pm

Does anyone here think that this was not planned long ago? If I voted and gave $$ to Tao and Johnson do I have the right to feel a bit betrayed? No I would not have voted for Hafter but still this is a bit smelly

Anonymous
Guest
Anonymous
November 12, 2014 12:42 am
Reply to  Anonymous

Didn't you notice that both Tao and Johnson backed off on their fundraising towards the end?

Anonymous
Guest
Anonymous
November 12, 2014 5:35 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Yes, you have the right to feel betrayed. Sorry.

Anonymous
Guest
Anonymous
November 11, 2014 10:21 pm

Well the interim court had to be approved by the voters. If it failed there would have been nothing to apply for.

Anonymous
Guest
Anonymous
November 11, 2014 11:09 pm

http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2014/11/10/decline-in-bar-exam-scores-sparks-war-of-words/?mg=blogs-wsj&url=http%253A%252F%252Fblogs.wsj.com%252Flaw%252F2014%252F11%252F10%252Fdecline-in-bar-exam-scores-sparks-war-of-words

IN 2011, law schools lowered admissions standards dramatically in order to balance the books in the face of a dramatic decline in interest in law school. Some schools have adopted essentially an open enrollment policy to stay in business. The result, 3 years later, is that many of the dullards who were admitted simply to cash their federal student loan checks, cannot pass the bar exam. Not a shocking result, really.

Anonymous
Guest
Anonymous
November 12, 2014 7:01 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Will the state bar associations cave to the pressure?

Anonymous
Guest
Anonymous
November 12, 2014 4:50 pm

Please, for the love of God, someone else put their damn hat in the ring for CoA 1. Let's at least try to avoid the appearance of a juiced-up judiciary with an unopposed appointment of Tao.

Anonymous
Guest
Anonymous
November 12, 2014 6:48 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Oh. Ok. Let me get that application together by 5:00 today.

You're someone. Why not you?

Anonymous
Guest
Anonymous
November 12, 2014 7:13 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

You're not worried about 3?

Anonymous
Guest
Anonymous
November 12, 2014 8:54 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Not quite the deadline yet, there are more applicants listed now:
Court of Appeals – Department 1 Applicants
•Jerome T. Tao
•Janet C. Pancoast
Court of Appeals – Department 2 Applicants
•Susan Holland Johnson
•Thomas D. Beatty, III
Court of Appeals – Department 3 Applicants
•Abbi Silver
•Aurora Maria Maskall
•Joan Chisholm Wright
•C. Stanley Hunterson
•Paul Dee Johnson
•Aaron D. Lovaas

Anonymous
Guest
Anonymous
November 12, 2014 10:19 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

I believe judge Tao has strong connections with the GUV. I also think he does an excellent job on the bench.

Anonymous
Guest
Anonymous
November 12, 2014 9:05 pm

A few more applicants this afternoon:
Court of Appeals – Department 1 Applicants
Jerome T. Tao
Janet C. Pancoast
Court of Appeals – Department 2 Applicants
Susan Holland Johnson
Thomas D. Beatty, III
Court of Appeals – Department 3 Applicants
Abbi Silver
Aurora Maria Maskall
Joan Chisholm Wright
C. Stanley Hunterson
Paul Dee Johnson
Aaron D. Lovaas

Anonymous
Guest
Anonymous
November 13, 2014 12:21 am
Reply to  Anonymous

Aaron Lovaas, he would be good.
Judge Johnson, good.
Abbi Silver, good.

Anonymous
Guest
Anonymous
November 12, 2014 10:10 pm

I thought that Greg Kamer was going to apply. What happened?

Anonymous
Guest
Anonymous
November 12, 2014 10:28 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Tao Johnson and Silver are in. The rest are window dressing

Anonymous
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Anonymous
November 12, 2014 10:30 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

God, Silver is a nightmare. It would be good to lose her as a trial judge.

Quickdraw McLaw
Guest
Quickdraw McLaw
November 13, 2014 12:02 am

Look at the list of applicants now:

Court of Appeals – Department 1 Applicants
Jerome T. Tao
Janet C. Pancoast
Robert E. Gaston
Robert A. Nersesian
David A. Hardy
Chris W. Davis
Michael D. Davidson
Court of Appeals – Department 2 Applicants
Susan Holland Johnson
Thomas D. Beatty, III
Michelle L. Morgando
Richard Wayne Sears
William B. Gonzalez
Anat R. Levy
Alan J. Lefebvre
Court of Appeals – Department 3 Applicants
Abbi Silver
Aurora Maria Maskall
Joan Chisholm Wright
C. Stanley Hunterson
Paul Dee Johnson
Aaron D. Lovaas
Karl W. Armstrong
Barry Louis Breslow
Joseph R. Plater
Douglas R. Rands
Allan R. Earl

Anonymous
Guest
Anonymous
November 13, 2014 12:26 am

Nersesian – an interesting submission. He is a true believer.

Alan Lefebvre is an interesting submission. The job would definitely be a pay cut for him.

Allan Earl would be my choice for Department 3.

Anonymous
Guest
Anonymous
November 13, 2014 12:47 am

I love Judge Earl. I think he has an incredible legal mind, and would do great things. But didn't he just retire because he couldn't do the job anymore, and hasn't been doing the job for 11 months?

Anonymous
Guest
Anonymous
November 13, 2014 12:17 am

Hoping for Tao, Johnson and Hunterton or Silver, given their talent, intelligence, depth and breadth of experience and leadership demeanor (people skills). Congratulations to a fine group of accomplished applicants.

Anonymous
Guest
Anonymous
November 13, 2014 12:34 am

I would be surprised if all 3 are from Las Vegas. I could see David Hardy or Joan Wright getting a spot. I'm really surprised by Allan Earl – I suppose retirement wasn't so great? . Lefebvre would have a really tough time with an election in 2 years. I'm surprised that not many, if any, appellate practitioners applied.

Anonymous
Guest
Anonymous
November 14, 2014 5:53 am

Where is Jacob Hafter's application???