Nevada

Las Vegas Judge Denies Misconduct Allegations, Cites ADA

Suspended Las Vegas Judge Elizabeth Halverson, accused of mistreating staff and sleeping during trials, denies misconduct allegations in a formal response filed yesterday. Halverson claims the Nevada Judicial Discipline Commission fails to identify sufficient grounds of judicial misconduct, and does not point to a judicial canon or state law that…

Jan 30, 2008 1:59 PM CST

Lawyer for Computer Worker Reported Hacking Allegations Against Judge

The formal ethics charges recently filed against Las Vegas Judge Elizabeth Halverson contained previously undisclosed allegations that the judge tried unsuccessfully to hack into the county computer system to access the e-mail of other employees. A computer worker who says he refused Halverson’s tech request says it was his lawyer…

Jan 28, 2008 3:45 PM CST

Lawyer Misses Client’s Murder Trial, Says He’s on Sabbatical

A Las Vegas personal injury lawyer known for his colorful commercials failed to show up last week to defend a client accused of murder, telling a prosecutor he was on sabbatical out of state. Glen Lerner left a voice mail with a county prosecutor saying he wouldn’t return to defend…

Jan 28, 2008 1:56 PM CST

O.J. Simpson Gets Bail, But Judge Doubles It to $250,000

Updated: Former football hero O.J. Simpson appeared in a Nevada court today, and was granted release on $250,000 bail prior to his upcoming trial in an armed robbery case. The amount was twice the $125,000 bail he was initially granted in the case. Although the Clark County, Nev., district attorney…

Jan 16, 2008 5:08 PM CST

Nevada High Court Rules Against Kucinich in Debate Suit

Dennis J. Kucinich has lost his legal bid to remain in yesterday’s Democratic debate. The Nevada Supreme Court ruled yesterday less than an hour before the scheduled debate, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports. The court said Judge Charles Thompson of Las Vegas abused his discretion when he ruled MSNBC had…

Jan 16, 2008 11:34 AM CST

Man, 61, Gets 5 Years for ‘Arborcide’

A Nevada man was sentenced yesterday to up to five years in prison for killing hundreds of trees in a suburban area near Las Vegas. Douglas Hoffman, 61, is a retired construction worker who suffers from heart, hip, back and prostate problems. He reportedly cut down more than 500 trees…

Jan 15, 2008 5:44 PM CST

O.J. Simpson Held on Bail Violation

Former football hero O.J. Simpson is reportedly being held on a bail violation, after allegedly calling one of his co-defendants in a Las Vegas armed robbery case and expressing unhappiness over his testimony at a preliminary hearing. Simpson reportedly identified himself as “Miguel” when calling co-defendant Clarence “C.J.” Stewart in…

Jan 11, 2008 9:44 PM CST

New Practice Area for Nev. Firm: Suing State Over Child Abuse

To report a case of child abuse, you call a state agency. But what do you do when the state agency itself is mistreating a child? Two brothers who practice law together in Las Vegas have an answer to that question for people concerned about abused foster children in Nevada:…

Dec 21, 2007 2:18 AM CST

Vegas Lawyer Contests Health Club’s ‘Special’ Treatment for Women

A Las Vegas lawyer irked by a health club promotion favoring women has filed a complaint with the Nevada Equal Rights Commission. Lawyer Todd Phillips, who focuses on gender bias cases, was surprised when he toured the Las Vegas Athletic Club and learned it offered women cheaper initiation fees and…

Dec 12, 2007 2:59 PM CST

9th Circuit Backs Judge Despite Work Given to Friends

Backing a federal judge accused by a newspaper of awarding more than $4.8 million in judgments and fees to individuals with whom he had political and business ties without fully disclosing the personal relationships, the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decided today to dismiss a complaint against…

Dec 12, 2007 12:12 AM CST

Man Could Get 35 Years in ‘Arborcide’

A 60-year-old Nevada man who was convicted by a jury last month of slaughtering trees worth some $250,000 in one what attorney termed an “arborcide” reportedly faces up to 35 years in prison. However, a lawyer for Douglas Hoffman plans to ask for probation for his client, who is presently…

Dec 4, 2007 6:23 PM CST

O.J. Pleads Not Guilty to Robbery, Kidnapping in Vegas

O.J. Simpson and two co-defendants pleaded not guilty to charges they brandished weapons in an attempt to take football memorabilia Simpson claims belongs to him. Judge Jackie Glass, of the Clark County district court in Las Vegas, set an April 7 trial date for Simpson, Clarence Steward and Charles Ehrlich,…

Nov 28, 2007 9:17 PM CST

Nev. Supreme Court to Reopen Following Smoke Incident

Officials expected the Nevada Supreme Court to reopen today after oily smoke from a malfunctioning elevator shut down the building. The smoke was caused by an elevator hydraulic pump that overheated on Saturday, the Nevada Appeal reports. The court reopened yesterday, but staffers were sent home after complaining of the…

Nov 28, 2007 12:41 PM CST

O.J. Will Go to Trial in Armed Robbery Case

Unlike O.J. Simpson’s murder trial in the mid-1990s, it presumably won’t be billed as the trial of the century or become famous for related sideshow features such as a troupe of televised look-alike black-robed dancing trial “judges.” But the armed robbery case against the former football hero for an alleged…

Nov 15, 2007 1:15 AM CST

Co-Defendants Say O.J. Told Them to ‘Get Heat’

Two men who said they carried guns into a hotel room to help O.J. Simpson reclaim sports memorabilia testified yesterday that Simpson had asked them to “get heat” ahead of time. Walter Alexander and Michael McClinton testified at Simpson’s preliminary hearing after reaching plea bargains with prosecutors, CNN reports. The…

Nov 14, 2007 4:45 PM CST