Eighth Judicial District Court Civil Bench Bar Meeting - Tues., May 14, 2013

The next Civil Bench Bar Meeting of the 8th Judicial District Court will be at noon on Tuesday, May 14, 2013 in courtroom 15A at the Regional Justice Center. The committee is open to new suggestions and issues of concern to bar members. The Civil Bench Bar is designed to bring the judiciary and members of the bar together to discuss ways to improve the processing and handling of civil matters. All members of the bar are welcome. Lunch will be provided. Please RSVP to the chambers of the Honorable Susan H. Johnson at (702) 671-0547 or email at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it by Friday May 10, 2013.

Las Vegas Municipal Court Now Offers Case Info Online

Las Vegas Municipal Court case information can now be found online at www.lasvegasnevada.gov/courtsearch .

The new search function allows those with a case number to enter the number and get information about a specific case including case history, fines owed and next court date. Additional information provided by the case search function includes violations, defendant name, Las Vegas Municipal Court department number and a listing of any other open cases the defendant may have in court.

Federal CJA Panel Applications Due July 1, 2013

The District Court Executive is accepting applications for appointments of new Federal Criminal Justice Act (CJA) Panel attorneys (appointment of counsel for indigent defendants) for the Unofficial Southern Division of the District of Nevada. Attorneys interested in appointment to the CJA Panel must submit an application to Lance S. Wilson, District Court Executive, by Monday, July 1, 2013. Attorneys applying for the Appeal Panel must also submit a writing sample. Appointments for the new Panel will be effective October 1, 2013.

Applications are available on the Court’s website at www.nvd.uscourts.gov or at the Intake counter of the Clerk’s Office in Las Vegas. Applicants must be members in good standing of the bar of the Federal Court and must have demonstrated experience in, and knowledge of, the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, the Federal Rules of Evidence and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Attorneys on the CJA Panel also must have demonstrated an interest in providing criminal defense services and a reputation for competent and vigorous representation. Members of the Panel are required to participate in six (6) hours of training in federal criminal practice, with at least three (3) of the six (6) hours on the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, per year which shall be provided through the Federal Public Defender's Office or other Court approved provider of Continuing Legal Education.

Counsel who do not have Federal criminal experience may wish to apply for the Mentor Program. Counsel may apply for the Mentor Program by completing the CJA Panel Application and noting “Mentor Program” in the top right-hand corner.

Federal Court Welcomes U.S. District Court Judge Andrew P. Gordon

On Thursday, May 30, 2013, members of the bar are invited to attend the Investiture Ceremony for the Honorable Andrew P. Gordon as United States District Judge for the District of Nevada. The ceremony starts at 3:00 p.m. in the auditorium of the Historic Fifth Street School, 401 S. Fourth Street, Las Vegas, Nevada. This ceremony is open to the bar and the public.

U.S. District Court Conference is set for Thursday, May 9, 2013

Nevada attorneys are encouraged to mark their calendars for the U.S. District Court Conference which will be held on Thursday, May 9, 2013 at the Golden Nugget Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Educational topics include a Supreme Court Review; Emerging Technology and the Law; Ethics; Jurisdiction and Pretrial Procedures; Neuroscience and Criminal Law; Open Forum Discussions with the Bench for Civil, Criminal, and Bankruptcy practitioners.

Registration is only $75.00 with a reduced $50.00 registration fee for government attorneys. Registration information will be sent to all members of the State Bar of Nevada in February 2013. Attorneys with questions about the conference can contact Mr. Lance S. Wilson, District Court Executive at 702-464-5456 or Barbara J. Price at 702-464-5427.

Civil Bench-Bar Meetings for Eighth Judicial District Court Resume April 2, 2013

Attorneys who practice in the Eighth Judicial District Court are invited to attend the Civil Bench-Bar meeting on Tuesday, April 2, 2013 at 12:05 p.m. in courtroom 15D at the Regional Justice Center located in downtown Las Vegas at 200 Lewis Ave. The meeting will be used to:

1. Develop a committee of judges and lawyers to determine topics for future agendas.
2. Determine the preference for the frequency of meetings.
3. Establish the Civil Bench-Bar meeting format including timing, topics and procedures.  
4. Cover important emerging issues that will impact attorneys.
   

“The Civil Bench-Bar is a great opportunity for attorneys to voice their concerns to the judges,” said Judge Susan Johnson, who oversees the meetings and presides over civil cases. “The plan is to get the attorneys involved in planning the meetings to meet needs, address concerns and maximize value.”

The court announed that the "Bench-Bar meetings are just one way the Eighth Judicial District Court is improving communication and using nnovative, efficient methods to improve court operations. District Court continuously works to develop new ideas, improve efficiencies, address issues and improve access to justice. For more information about the courts, visit www.clarkcountycourts.us.

Clark County Detention Center Computer Network Shutdown - March 23, 2013

Bail Process Delays Expected at Las Vegas Justice Court starting 8:00AM, Saturday, March 23, 2013

Regional Justice Center South Gate Entrance Opened for Attorneys, Law Enforcement, and Jurors

On Wednesday, February 6, 2013, the south gate entrance at the Regional Justice Center (RJC) opened for jurors with identification and a summons, law enforcement with I.D. and attorneys with I.D. and a current bar card. The south gate entrance will be open during the week from 7:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. to ease congestion at the main security gate.

“We have taken extraordinary steps to open the south gate for attorneys, law enforcement and jurors. For a number of reasons, we have been struggling to address the congestion at the gate and I will no longer tolerate anything less than proper access,” said Eighth Judicial District Court District Court Chief Judge Jennifer P. Togliatti. “I want everyone to know that the Eighth Judicial District Court has been engaged in an effort to increase marshal staffing and reconfigure the front gate. Our security team is working very hard to ensure that each department has adequate staffing while at the same time maintaining coverage at the entrance to ensure everyone’s safety. We hope that you will find more timely access to our court. I continue to ask for your patience while we work though all of the issues to keep the courthouse secure and accessible.”

Courtfinder App Offers Court Calendars and Info for Users of Clark County Courts

On Tuesday, January 29, 2013, the Eighth Judicial District Court officially released the smartphone app, Courtfinder. The application offers information for users including calendars, updated dockets in real-time for the courts located at the Regional Justice Center at 200 Lewis Ave. in downtown Las Vegas. Courtfinder, developed by the District Court Information Technology division with Judge David Barker, is free to download from the Google Play and iPhone app stores.

Notice of Inter-Departmental Case Transfers at Eighth Judicial District Court

UPDATED 1/23/13 - The court also transferred many criminal cases.

On January 22, 2013 the Clark County Bar received a memo from the Eighth Judicial District Court updating the status of the "Inter-Departmental Case Transfers and Track Changes." In summary, the court is making changes to the criminal tracking system. The following details the court's instructions for transfers and changes:

• Department 7: All criminal matters being transferred from Department 7 to Department 9 shall proceed at the currently calendared time and date in Courtroom 3E unless otherwise ordered by the court. Justice Court matters currently tracking to Department 7 will begin tracking to Department 9.
• Department 9: All criminal matters being transferred from Department 9 to Department 11 shall proceed at the currently calendared time and date in Courtroom 14C unless otherwise ordered by the court. Justice Court matters currently tracking to Department 9 will begin tracking to Department 11. For criminal matters scheduled for C01ll1 proceedings earlier than January 22, 2013,please continue to appear in the currently-assigned department until the transfer takes effect.
  

These changes went into effect at 7:00 a.m. on January 22, 2013. These changes were done in conjunction with the recent case reassigmnent taking effect on January 22, 2013 pursuant to Administrative Order 13-01.See below.

UPDATED 1/18/13 - The court's letter to the bar and the attachments sited are now available in this 15 page PDF .

Effective January 22, 2013, the Eighth Judicial District Court will redistribute cases among several departments:

1. 400 cases aged 48 months or less from Depmtment 27's open civil caseload will be randomly selected, transferred to, and equitably distributed among Departments 1, 4, 14, 26, 28, 30, 31 and 32. See Attachment 1 as posted on court website.
   
2. 120 open civil cases in Department 11 that are designated as "Business Matters" pursuant to EDCR 1.61 (a) will be randomly selected, transfe'Ted to, and equitably distributed between Departments 25 and 27. See Attachment 2 as posted on court website.
3. All open criminal cases in Department 9 will be transferred to Department 11.
4. All open criminal cases not designated as Specialty Court cases, will be transferred from Department 7 to Department 9.

The changes result from the court's January 16, 2013 filing of Administrative Order 13-01 (PDF).

Attorneys should review the posted administrative order and the Odyssey electronic case management system for further specifics on the aforementioned transfers and to confirm upcoming hearing dates. Those eligible pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 48.1 may exercise a peremptory challenge as a result of the case reassignment.

Questions regarding these case transfers can be directed to Timothy Andrews, Assistant Court Administrator of the Civil/Criminal Division at (702) 671-3312.

Eighth Judicial District Court Transfers Judicial Departments at the Regional Justice Center

The courtroom and judicial chamber locations for the Eighth Judicial District Court have recently been changed. Effective January 2, 2013, the room assignments at the Regional Justice Center, located at 200 Lewis Ave. in downtown Las Vegas, are now configured as follows:

16th Floor

• 16A: Department 1 – Hon. Kenneth C. Cory
• 16B: Department 2 – Hon. Valorie J. Vega
• 16C: Department 3 – Hon. Douglas W. Herndon
• 16D: Department 8 – Hon. Douglas E. Smith

15th Floor

• 15A: Department 25 – Hon. Kathleen Delaney
• 15B: Department 6 – Hon. Elissa Cadish
• 15C: Department 28 – Hon. Ronald J. Israel
• 15D: Department 22 – Hon. Susan Johnson

14th Floor

• 14A: Department 30 – Hon. Jerry A. Wiese
• 14B: Department 10 – Hon. Jessie Walsh
• 14C: Department 11 – Hon. Elizabeth Gonzalez
• 14D: Department 12 – Hon. Michelle Leavitt

12th Floor

• 12A: Department 13 – Hon. Mark R. Denton
• 12B: Department 31 – Hon. Joanna S. Kishner
• 12C: Department 23 – Hon. Stefany A. Miley
• 12D: Department 16 – Hon. Timothy Williams

11th Floor

• 11A: Department 17 – Hon. Michael Villani
• 11B: Department 18 – Hon. David Barker
• 11C: Department 21 – Hon. Valerie Adair
• 11D: Department 15 – Hon. Abbi Silver

10th Floor

• 10A: Department S – Hon. Vincent Ochoa
• 10B: Department M – Hon. Bill Potter
• 10C: Department 24 – Hon. James Bixler
• 10D: Department 20 – Hon. Jerome T. Tao
  

3rd Floor

• 3A: Department 27 – Hon. Nancy L. Allf
  
• 3B: Department 5 – Hon. Carolyn Ellsworth (sharing with Dept. 9)
  
• 3C: Department 32 – Hon. Rob Bare
  
• 3D: Department 29 – Hon. Susan W. Scann
  
• 3E: Department 9 – Hon. Jennifer P. Togliatti (sharing with Dept. 5)
  
• 3F: Department 7 – Hon. Linda Marie Bell
  
• 3G: Department H – Hon. T. Arthur Ritchie, Jr.
  
• 3H: Department 26 – Hon. Gloria J. Sturman
  

Departments 4 and 14 chambers and courtrooms are located on the 11th floor of the Phoenix Building across from the RJC on 330 S. Third Street. Department 19 continues to be located at the Complex Litigation Center on 333 Sixth Street.

Questions regarding courtroom administration can be directed to Timothy Andrews, Assistant Court Administrator of the Civil/Criminal Division at (702) 671-3312.

Las Vegas Justice Court Case Assignment Changes for 2013

Effective December 31, 2012, the Las Vegas Justice Court will operate with the following changes to the case assignments (by judicial departments):

Dept.     Ctrm.   Judge                                Calendar     Reassigements 

The “Q” represents the suffix in the criminal case number and encompasses three types of code enforcement cases: Animal control, business license, and public response. The “water-bottle calendar” is relatively new and relates to illegal water sales on the Strip. The “DV” represents a domestic violence case type.

Please note that Court Administration will display notices in the RJC lobby to remind parties to review the INFAX monitor for specific hearing locations.  For example, Judge Baucum’s matters will be heard in courtroom 7D, and Judge Hafen’s matters will be heard in courtroom 8D.

Questions regarding these changes may be addressed to Joe Tommasino, Staff Attorney for the Las Vegas Justice Court, at (702) 671-3424 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Family Bench Bar Committee 2013 Meeting Schedule

The meeting schedule for the Family Bench Bar Committee for the Eighth Judicial District Court has been announced. The dates are listed as follows:

• Thursday January 24, 2013
• Thursday April 11, 2013
• Thursday May 23, 2013
• Thursday June 27, 2013
• Thursday August 8, 2013
• Thursday September 26, 2013
• Thursday November 7, 2013
• Thursday December 19, 2013
• Thursday January 30, 2014

Releases Notice of Scam Alert Regarding Fraudulent Court Documents

The Eighth Judicial District Court has recently become aware of the existence of a fraudulent default judgment, purportedly issued by the court, as an apparent part of a scam designed to defraud consumers. The fraudulent judgment conditions the issuance of a monetary award upon payment of certain court fees to a third party.

The court employs no such practice. Members of the public who suspect they are being subjected to any scam via a fraudulent Eighth Judicial District Court document are encouraged to verify the document's authenticity by contacting the clerk's office at 702-671-0530 or by reporting the matter to law enforcement.