Mark’s Soap Box

UPDATE: See end of article.

Judge Elizabeth Halverson bypasses security with private guards in tow.

Judge Elizabeth Halverson isn’t allowed into the Regional Justice Center after she hired private security guards and allowed them to bypass courthouse security. A court order was issued just before 6 p.m. Thursday

A replacement Judge has been named to fill Halverson’s Seat.Judge Halverson has refused to meet with Hardcastle about the incident so they replaced her.

Hardcastle issued an administrative order barring Halverson after she refused to discuss with judges why on Wednesday she circumnavigated security procedures and brought two private bodyguards into secured areas of the courthouse. It was unclear if the bodyguards carried firearms, though one had an extendable metal rod.

Now that is bad, but it gets worse.

On Wednesday, District Court officials say Halverson allowed two private security guards into her chambers, bypassing regular courthouse security. When an administrator went to speak with her about a personnel matter, the judge refused to meet with him and placed a call to 911 asking Metro [MARK: Metro = Las Vegas Metropolitan Police, also the Sheriffs Dept in Clark County] to respond. Metro notified courthouse bailiffs who went to check on her safety and were then met by the two men inside the judge’s chambers

So the Bailiffs respond and quite rightly they are concerned.

Court spokesman Michael Sommermeyer said, “So, what we have at this point — or what we had — was two individuals, unknown if they were armed, unknown about their backgrounds and they basically were walking the back hallways of the judicial areas serving as her private security.”

Strange as it may seem the Judge has a different story. She says “they burst into her chambers.” She also says that people are out to get her.

Halverson says she is being targeted. “I am hoping for people to come to their senses and to stop their vendetta because there is no evidence of any of the things they are taking about. But there is evidence of their own doing, and that will come out soon,” she said.

You just can’t make this stuff up. So much for “stays in Vegas”. We wish. Oh and she feels she is being treated unfairly.

“No, I don’t think it is fair when people break into, without warrants, into your chambers and try to assault you,” Judge Elizabeth Halverson said.

Now why is she being targeted you ask? Well, she is quite the incompetent. She was stripped of criminal cases due to her lack of procedure knowledge earlier this year. She’s only been on the bench since January of 2007. Sweet.

District Judge Elizabeth Halverson is so unqualified for the job voters gave her last year that court officials have determined she can’t be trusted with a criminal docket. Chief Judge Kathy Hardcastle has transferred all of Halverson’s cases to another judge. In theory, that could give Halverson time to learn a bit about procedure before she gets a fresh docket of civil cases next week. ~~ Erin Neff - LVRJ

Lord help the folks on the civil docket. In just 3 months Halverson has caused mountains of damage. She only has one original staff member working for her. She spoke with Jurors ex parte in TWO, yes 2 separate child molestation trials. She claims it was accidental. The DA offered a plea deal to avoid a mistrial in one of the cases. Halverson was so incompetent that Chief District Court Judge Kathy Hardcastle had three judges mentor Halverson. Part of the reason was to buffer Hardcastle from Halverson…

Halverson served as a law clerk for nine years in District Court. The job involves researching decisions for judges, and most law clerks spend only a year or two in the job before practicing law themselves. Citing the temporary nature of the position, Hardcastle fired Halverson in 2004. Halverson then ran for a Family Court judgeship against Hardcastle’s then-husband.

… and to teach her procedure. Stewart Bell one of the judges appointed is the former DA of Clark county. Upon recommendation of the three Judges, Hardcastle removed her case load.

Earlier this month, one of Hardcastle’s appointed mentors, Bell, said, “We’re very much trying to approach this in a positive way where there is a comfort level, where we’re here to help a colleague improve.” Bell, Loehrer and Ritchie recently gave a report to Hardcastle that recommended alleviating some of Halverson’s caseload, and Hardcastle said she acted on their recommendation.

Halverson has been quite combative through all of this. She feels she is being attacked by her colleagues, mostly Hardcastle.

“Judge Hardcastle cannot seem to sit with the fact that Las Vegas voters believed in Elizabeth Halverson and wanted to give her a chance to be the brilliant judge that I know and they know she is capable of being,” said Halverson’s sister, Angela La Macchia, of California. “I personally think the voters in Las Vegas will see through Judge Hardcastle’s agenda and games.”

Hardcastle called such allegations “ludicrous.”

She just needs to face facts and realize she is her own worst enemy.

Halverson “doesn’t recognize that her behavior is causing problems for the court’s litigants and the other judges,” Hardcastle said.

She said Halverson has not contacted judges since the lockout.

It is clear she has little self control, and can not be honest with herself about her weight, her attitude, nor her skills or lack of same.

“I believe this is just more of the ongoing punitive measures I have had to endure,” Halverson’s statement added. “I am not being treated with respect. Clearly the media knows more than I do. Apparently there are people who cannot get over the election results.”

I am wondering how this woman was able to get a law degree, then pass the bar, get a clerkship, and then get a Judgeship. NOTE: Judge Halverson was elected, great! Good choice. Seems many are wondering about the election of this Judge. So with this Judge forcing others to take her case load, how does that affect the other cases? Not well I am afraid. If you are a criminal with a case pending, you opt for a criminal trial, and don’t waive your speedy trial right. This will force the DA to make concessions, and you get a better deal. The more people do this the faster it will work. Fewer Judges available for trials mean the line gets long and the clock puts the pressure on. Now considering her gender, girth, and oxygen needs; who will come to her aid first?

Terror in Vegas

So how about the Luxor bombing? Some believe that maybe it is a terrorist act. Debbie Schlussel believes that Mayor Goodman is more concerned with casino revenue than with being safe. I have to agree. In Vegas, you don’t talk bad about the “family.” Two have been arrested in Vegas for the bombing. Waiting on the news conference. You don’t want the visitors seeing the outside world. When I was there in 1992 (before I moved there) at the old Aladdin; the Landers earthquake hit back home. It was impossible to find a channel with CNN or any news about the quake. Only after guests were close to rioting (most were from California) did they turn on the news. That is a rare occurrence. Bad Judges, Mayors who are short sighted, and liberal media defending terrorists. We are doomed.

UPDATE: LVRJ has clarified some things. Seems the Judge Halverson fired one of her employees while they were on vacation, and then read their email. Ooops!

On Thursday, Spoor recalled seeing Halverson call her bailiff Jordan into her chambers. Jordan ran in and Halverson threw a pencil over her shoulder, Spoor said. Halverson said, “Go pick that up, I feel like being a judge today,” Spoor said.

Oh wow.

UPDATE:  Channel 8 is reporting that the two Luxor murderers are illegals. My question is why are they in Vegas? Having been kicked off of the Luxor property, and working at Nathan’s; didn’t someone check on their backgrounds? If not, why not?

UPDATE 2: Judge Halverson is on the offensive. She is charging that ticket fixing was going on in her court.

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