Nevada Elections

In previous comments, a Nevada resident asked me for information on judicial elections. I don't have much information to give, but here's my opinion so far (all of this is subject to change as I do further research):

1. Supreme Court Seat B -- Mary Pickering. I don't know much of anything about either candidate. I make this decision based on the kinds of endorsements each has received, and it looks like Pickering is more pro-prosecution in criminal cases. Schumacher is a judge in Washoe County, and Pickering has never been a judge, so if experience is your key criterion, there you go.

2. Supreme Court Seat D -- Thomas Christensen. I don't think he'll win; Bill Maupin (the incumbent) is too popular and well-respected. I recommend Christensen because Maupin (among others) signed onto the absolutely horrendous Guinn decision, in which the Justices ignored the state Constitution to help raise taxes.

That decision already cost Nancy Becker her job, and Becker was an otherwise good judge (with some notable exceptions). Maupin is generally not a bad judge. But he was in Guinn, and that's enough, in my opinion.

3. District Court Judge Dept. 6 -- no recommendation

4. District Court Judge Dept. 7 -- no recommendation

5. District Court Judge Dept. 8 -- no recommendation

6. District Court Judge Dept. 10 -- The incumbent Judge Walsh has consistently received some of the lowest ratings in lawyer surveys other than Judge Halverson. I don't think she stands a chance.

7. District Court Judge Dept. 12 -- no recommendation

8. District Court Judge Dept. 14 -- Chris Davis. You may recall that Don Moseley featured very prominently in a series of Review-Journal articles about the problems of judges soliciting and receiving campaign contributions. It was not favorable.

9. District Court Judge Dept. 17 -- Michael Villani

10. District Court Judge Dept. 22 -- no recommendation

11. District Court Judge Dept. 23 -- no recommendation

12. District Court Judge Dept. 25 -- no recommendation. Susan Scann seems nice enough, but I only met her once, extremely briefly, and I've never seen her work.

I'll add this: my readers (such as they are) are probably mostly conservative, and NVAction.com looks like a conservative web site, so I'll note their recommendations, as well. I haven't looked at that site much, so I don't endorse anything there.

For Family Court judges, I'll say Ken Pollack, Bill Henderson, and Cynthia Giuliani. I don't know anything at all about any of the others.