State Supreme Court to hear term limits cases

The Nevada Supreme Court today announced that they will take up the term limits issue in a "triage session" on June 13th. The underlying issues that led to the filing of the cases will not be argued except to help the court determine how to proceed.

The case management session will follow three oral arguments before the full court the morning of June 13. Two deal with terms of office for elected officials and the third will address whether candidates for District Court judgeships must reside in the judicial district where they are seeking the bench.

The most prominent case was filed by Eighth Judicial District Judge Elizabeth Halverson, who is seeking re-election. The seat she originally won in 2006 was for a two year term although District Court seats generally are for six-year terms. Judge Halverson is challenging the Legislature’s right to create judgeships with shorter terms, which was done to place all judges on the same election and pay raise cycle. Judge Halverson’s case is scheduled to be argued at 10:30 a.m. on June 13.

At 10 a.m., the case of the Independent American party of Clark County vs. Secretary of State Ross Miller will be argued. It also addresses a term of office issue.

The third case, scheduled to be argued at 11 a.m., involves a challenge to the candidacy of Michael Montero for a seat on the Sixth Judicial District Court bench. That district includes Pershing, Humboldt, and Lander Counties. Mr. Montero is not a resident of that district, but Second Judicial District Judge Patrick Flanagan already has ruled that since district judges have statewide jurisdiction, candidates need not be residents of their district to file for office.