Traffic Referee … only in Vegas
Jun 4th, 2007 by Mark
Las Vegas Traffic Court Referee trys to be fair.
So what’s the issue? Well seems a certain Judge has made some accusations about “ticket fixing”, so naturally the vultures descended upon the court to “verify” it.
After District Judge Elizabeth Halverson launched allegations of ticket fixing against her former judicial executive assistant, news media have turned their scrutiny on traffic court and whether clients who are represented by attorneys receive better deals than members of the public who wait in line and handle their own citations.
Court officials do not believe any ticket fixing — the illegal elimination or dismissal of tickets — was going on.
Halverson’s assistant, Ileen Spoor, gave traffic tickets belonging to friends and family to attorneys she knew, who would handle the tickets in traffic court. Her friends and family would then pay the fines adjudicated by the judge.
Spoor said she never asked what attorneys charged for the service, but most who helped Spoor and spoke to the Review-Journal said they did it for free because they liked Spoor and it wasn’t a big deal.
As opposed to her boss (a certain Judge of size) who people seem to despise.
You have to love Vegas. That patch of gold dust in the desert of Nevada is it’s own little world. No matter your thoughts on gambling, Vegas is just entertaining. You don’t even have to go there to get a good laugh. Just read about the Judges.
Psychotic Judges, and Traffic Court “referees”. Too funny. Do they get to wear cool striped shirts? Or do they have old NBA style of black slacks with a grey pullover T?
As I understand it:
• Judge Halverson is married to a thrice convicted felon with has done almost four years of an 8 year prison sentence, and whose criminal history includes firearms charges, cocaine, and burglary, and Mr. Halverson was on parole when the couple wed eight years ago. This raises questions not about the character of a public figure who is expected o be above reproach, but about the Judge’s ability to preside impartially in criminal matters. (Source, REVIEW-JOURNAL, May 26, 2007, http://www.lvrj.com/news/7700407.html;
• In January, 2007 the County declared Judge Halverson’s yard to not only be a mess, but a health hazard, declared the residence a nuisance, and ordered the Judge to clean it up or face a $10,000 fine. The Judge’s response was to state that her husband does not always do what he is supposed to do. (I understand that one can hire people to clean up yards.) The Judge had until today to effect the cleanup, and as of yesterday had not done so. Essentially, the Judge has refused to comply with a valid abatement order from the County in a matter concerning the public health and safety.(Source for latest of many articles on this subject, News 3, May 31, 2007, http://www.kvbc.com/Global/story.asp?S=6595327&nav=15MV)
• In March, 2007 it was reported that the Judge was in over her head in criminal matters when she engaged in improper ex parte contacts with sitting jurors in two cases. (The Judge’s response, nobody’s perfect in their first 90 days.) In response, the Judge’s criminal cases were temporarily reassigned to other judges and several veteran judges were asked to mentor her—which help Judge Halverson refused.
• From the beginning of the Judge’s tenure she has consistently demonstrated her unfitness to serve as a judge. Specifically:
• The 425 pound Halverson ordered her bailiff to rub her feet and back, dropped objects and told him to pick them up, made him fetch her ice water with precise specifications, required him to microwave her food in her noxious smelling private bathroom, and made him clean her chambers which were often littered with sun flower seed and cookie crumbs. She also required her bailiff to wait for her in the parking lot each morning to greet her for up to an hour to impart the latest courthouse “gossip” about her. The bailiff was also required to walk her to her car each night and wait while she conversed with others on the street, sometimes for 45 minutes. (Source: Affidavits and Exhibits on file in Halverson v. Hardcastle, Exhibits, Vol. 1, Exhibits, Vol. 2, Exhibits, Vol. 3 .)
• The required her staff to wake her when she fell asleep in open court and during trials which occurred almost daily. (Ibid.)
• The Judge referred to her husband in very vulgar and demeaning terms in front of court staff, called the bailiff’s “bitches”, and told her bailiff “do you want to worship me from near or afar”. (Ibid.)
• Halverson regularly berated and screamed at her court staff, and made them wait for her morning arrival in court standing at attention, and holding her robe just so. (Ibid.)
• The Judge was rude and disrespectful to the attorneys appearing before her, and told her staff that certain attorneys had no chance in front of her because they failed to contribute to her campaign. (Ibid.)
• The Judge told her clerk that she believed the court recorder was feeding audio from Halverson’s courtroom directly into the computer of the Chief Judge—even after it was explained to the Judge that this would be impossible.
• When other judges met with her to express very legitimate concerns of her staff and the court, the Judge refused to acknowledge she did anything wrong. (Ibid.)
• When her bailiff was reassigned after he complained about his mistreatment, the judge objected, taking the position it was her right to make the bailiff work for her solely at her pleasure. (Ibid.)
• The Judge fired her clerk, and confiscated some of the clerk’s personal effects. When the Court Administrative officer and three bailiffs (including a supervisor) entered the chambers anti-room (NOT the Judge’s private office) to escort the fired clerk to pick up her personal effects, the Judge barricaded herself in her office with her private “body guards”, and called 911, falsely claiming that a fired employee was roaming the hallways unescorted. The Judge later falsely stated in TV news footage that the Court Administrative officer and three bailiffs tried to “assault” her. (Ibid; Las Vegas News 8, See Las Vegas Chanel 8 Halverson video tape here.)
• The Judge gave a televised press interview wherein she accused her former clerk of “fixing tickets. The former clerk has now sued the Judge for libel.
• The Judge is reportedly being investigated by the Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline, and rightly so. (Source:
JANE ANN MORRISON: Judicial commission might have a say on Halverson controversy (May 31, 2007)
• The judge has become a national media spectacle, and has brought derision and ridicule to her office. (see, e.g., the following internet links:
http://markljackson.wordpress.com/2007/05/24/halverson-v-hardcastle/
http://markljackson.wordpress.com/2007/05/30/no-wonder-she-went-to-law-school/
http://www.abovethelaw.com/2007/05/another_update_on_the_large_an.php#more
http://aishamusic.wordpress.com/2007/05/31/a-judge-no-jurist-could-stand/
http://independentsources.com/2007/05/30/judge-havlerson/ (“Nothing ‘honorable’ about 425 pound judge that likes to throw her weight around’)
http://ballyblog.wordpress.com/2007/05/29/vegas-425-pound-judge-fails-to-treat-people-with-dignity-respect/
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« View all web results for judge halverson
Judge Elizabeth Halverson told to clean yard
KVBC, NV - 20 hours ago
Judge Halverson has been given until Friday to clean up her yard as part of a nuisance abatement case with the county. The county says Halverson has a yard …
I-Team: Halverson’s Judicial Assistant Files Defamation Lawsuit
KLAS-TV, NV - May 27, 2007
It was during an interview with the I-Team that Judge Halverson first revealed she believed her former assistant was fixing tickets. …
I-Team: Judge Halverson’s Aide Responds to Allegations
KLAS-TV, NV - May 25, 2007
Spoor has now filed a lawsuit alleging Judge Halverson defamed her, invaded her privacy, and cast her in false light. Her attorney is James Adams. …
Judge Halverson being sued by former assistant
KVBC, NV - May 25, 2007
In an affidavit, from the courts human resources manager, Judge Halverson was overheard referring to her courtroom clerk as, “the evil one and the …
I-Team: Administrators Fire Back at Embattled Judge Halverson
KLAS-TV, NV - May 23, 2007
In the documents, administrators fire back at Judge Halverson who says she was unjustly barred from the courthouse by Chief Judge Kathy Hardcastle. …
I-Team Exclusive: Judge Halverson Reveals Illegal Ticket Fixing
KLAS-TV, NV - May 18, 2007
Judge Halverson dropped a bombshell this week when she alleged to the Eyewitness News I-Team that she had evidence of a ticket-fixing operation inside her …
Judge Halverson Wins First Round in Nevada Supreme Court
KLAS-TV, NV - May 17, 2007
This is only a partial victory for Judge Halverson, at least for now. While the Supreme Court says Judge Halverson must be allowed back into the courthouse, …
Judge Halverson speaks out
KVBC, NV - May 17, 2007
Halverson believes politics got her banned from the building. “I would prefer to be doing the job I was elected to do,” said Judge Halverson. …
Still No Ruling on Future of Judge Halverson
KLAS-TV, NV - May 16, 2007
Judge Halverson spoke exclusively to the Channel 8 I-Team. Court administrators Wednesday responded to some of her allegations. …
Las Vegas Judge Halverson Allowed to Return to Bench
KRNV, NV - May 18, 2007
The high court ruling favors Clark County District Judge Elizabeth Halverson, who was barred by the chief judge, Kathy Hardcastle, for jeopardizing security …
View all web results for judge halverson
Judge Halverson to return to the bench
KVBC, NV - May 17, 2007
A Nevada Supreme Court panel Thursday decided in favor of district court judge Elizabeth Halverson, allowing her back into the courthouse. …
I-Team Exclusive: Judge Halverson Videotape
KLAS-TV, NV - May 14, 2007
They are walking toward Judge Halverson’s chambers on the 11th floor of the Regional Justice Center and enter the open door of Halverson’s outer reception …
I-Team Exclusive: Judge Halverson Responds
KLAS-TV, NV - May 15, 2007
Tuesday, for the first time Judge Halverson is talking about the controversy in an exclusive interview. While the focus was on legal motions filed on her …
I-Team Exclusive: Names Revealed in Ticket Fixing Operation
KLAS-TV, NV - May 21, 2007
What Judge Halverson does know is that her former clerk, Ileen Spoor, had a 2-inch thick file of traffic citations at her desk prior to being fired, …
Judge banned from Clark County court over security breach claim
San Diego Union Tribune, CA - May 11, 2007
“Judge Halverson’s actions in utilizing unauthorized and unknown bodyguards constitute a breach of courthouse security, which creates a potential danger to …
District Court Judge Banned From Regional Justice Center
KLAS-TV, NV - May 10, 2007
Judge Elizabeth Halverson isn’t allowed into the Regional Justice Center after she hired private security guards and allowed them to bypass courthouse …
Dismissed aide sues Nevada judge, claiming defamation
North County Times, CA - May 25, 2007
Halverson returned to the bench this week after the Nevada Supreme Court lifted an order by the chief administrative judge locking Halverson out of the …
District judge seeks protection from own staff
KVBC, NV - May 10, 2007
It happened on the 11th floor of the Regional Justice Center Wednesday, starting with Judge Halverson firing one of her employees. …
Dismissed aide sues Nevada judge, claiming defamation
KSBY, CA - May 25, 2007
« View all web results for judge halverson
Nevada Judge Asks State Supreme Court to Intervene in Job Dispute
KOLO, NV - May 18, 2007
Judge Elizabeth Halverson filed an emergency motion Tuesday to try to require District Court Chief Judge Kathy Hardcastle to justify actions taken against …
What Requirements are Necessary to Become a Judge
KLAS-TV, NV - May 17, 2007
While Judge Elizabeth Halverson’s current troubles are being blamed on her hiring of security guards, It’s no secret at the courthouse that there have been …
Nevada Judge Asks Supreme Court to Intervene in Job Dispute
KRNV, NV - May 16, 2007
Judge Elizabeth Halverson has filed an emergency motion to try to require District Court Chief Judge Kathy Hardcastle to let Halverson back into the …
Judge banned from Clark County court over security breach claim
KSBY, CA - May 11, 2007
In an administrative order, Clark County District Court Chief Judge Kathy Hardcastle said District Judge Elizabeth Halverson jeopardized courthouse security …
Family now waits for verdict
Fort Madison Daily Democrat, IA - May 15, 2007
However, Halverson showed the judge the two visible blood spots he tested and said “some sort of impact had to have happened to make the blood stain break …
Judge sets bond for serial robber suspect
Middletown Journal, OH - May 23, 2007
Attorney Damon Halverson was appointed to represent Womack, and Robert Qucsai to represent Gabbard. In Monday’s pizzeria robbery, Womack is accused of …
Grand Strand Scoreboard
Myrtle Beach Sun News, SC - May 31, 2007
Captain’s Choice: Les and Kathy Goff/Hank Kolb/Jeni McNeily -5; Gene and Regina Kelley/Jon Denny -5; Woody and Normie Halverson/Charlie Angelini -5; …
2nd ID soldier gets 11 years for rapes
Stars and Stripes, DC - May 18, 2007
Halverson said the first victim grabbed lubricant because she saw no chance to escape, but could at least ease her pain. …
State’s witness: Bentler spoke of parents’ deaths
Mt. Pleasant News, IA - May 10, 2007
Mike Halverson, a DNA analyst for the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation, testified Wednesday that white socks Shawn Bentler was wearing when he was …
Mother of Shawn Bentler’s child takes the stand
Sioux City Journal, IA - May 9, 2007
The case was being heard in front of Van Buren County District Court Judge Michael R. Mullins after Bentler waived his right to a jury trial. Mike Halverson …
I am afraid there is no public relations “repair” possible for the judge, or for Clark County District Court until the Judge is removed or resigns; based on the approx. 200 pages of exhibits lodged in the Nevada Supreme Ct. it would be MY OPINION that the Judge will ultimately be removed from office by the appropriate body–probably months if not years from now, after the charges are investigated, a formal accusatory pleading filed, and the good judge has a hearing then exhausts all appeals. (Note that it took from 2004 to May 31, 2007 for the Commission on Judicial Discipline to resolve the Complaint against another judge and his wife filed by Halverson before she was elected.)
There is multiple sworn witness corroboration for a multitude of alleged misconduct accusations, ranging from extreme staff abuse, lying to other judges, falling asleep in court almost daily, improper ex-parte contact with jurors and on and on.
Perhaps all of these multiple witnesses are lying and the Judge is telling the truth.
But 1) Some of the accusations the Judge does not completely deny (such as her bailiff rubbing her feet–she just claims it was his idea and she tried to discourage it, and calling her husband vulgar names in front of court staff–the Judge’s solution when called on it was to propose he simply would not come around chambers) AND 2) Usually the disciplinary authorities tend to believe multiple corroborated accounts over the Judge who denies all and puts it off to a conspiracy against her.
The Judge would save herself a of grief and embarrassment and the court system a lot of damage to its reputation if she would simply resign now, for “health reasons.”
This media spectacle is growing exponentially, and its only a matter of time before the cable channel talking heads are yammering about Judge Halverson and her ex-felon husband 24/7.
And ultimately, everyone knows Halverson is going to go eventually, one way or the other.
I would urge the Chief Judge to strip Judge Halverson of all of her cases until the pending investigations can be completed and resolved.
Sadly you are correct. She will go, but she is going to fight for dear life. Anything else would mean her having to admit she is a failure. Now she is a failure AND a national joke. Great career ahead for her. I hear Jerry Springer is looking for new show ideas. No doubt she could be a weeks worth of shows.
UPDATE: HALVERSON RUMORED TO BE SUBJECT TO INTERIM SUSPENSION FROM BENCH
http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/sun/2007/jun/04/566682877.html?halverson
Today: June 04, 2007 at 12:41:42 PDT
Halverson cooking her own goose?
Halverson’s appeal may have prompted an investigation
By Sam Skolnik
Las Vegas Sun
See the related story:
Lawyers opt out of judge’s courtroom (Link: http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/lv-other/2007/jun/04/566621522.html
In her Supreme Court tussle with Chief District Judge Kathy Hardcastle, District Judge Elizabeth Halverson is arguing that Hardcastle had no right to banish her from the courthouse - that only the Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline has that authority.
That argument could backfire.
The commission has begun an investigation into Halverson’s conduct, several people familiar with the allegations against her say. Such a probe could eventually lead to the judge’s permanent removal.
Ongoing commission investigations into allegedly wayward judges are kept under tight wraps. Those interviewed by commission investigators are legally compelled not to talk as the probe moves forward.
But three people contacted by the Sun who are knowledgeable about the case are hinting that a commission investigation has been ongoing for weeks - and that the agency also may have already issued Halverson an interim order of suspension.
These types of orders are rare, said David Sarnowski, the commission’s general counsel and executive director. Sarnowski said that by law, he could not comment on any possible investigation of Halverson.
Interim suspension orders can occur after a complaint has been filed with the commission and a decision has been made to investigate, and when, according to state law, the commission determines that, pending a completed investigation, “the justice or judge poses a substantial threat of serious harm to the public or to the administration of justice.”
Such orders are kept private until and unless the commission takes the case public and files formal charges. The judge can appeal the interim order and remain on the bench until the appeal is heard.
Halverson did not return a call for comment. Her attorney, Bill Gamage, declined to comment on any matter regarding the commission.
In recent months Halverson has been repeatedly accused of acting abusively toward her court staff. She has also allegedly behaved improperly while on the bench by repeatedly falling asleep, talking to jurors outside the presence of the lawyers in one case, berating attorneys who were attempting to educate her about proper trial procedure and stating that she was biased against certain attorneys “because they never gave me any money for my campaign.”
Hardcastle, who in court papers described Halverson’s behavior as “seemingly volatile, angry, paranoid and bizarre,” convened a committee of three veteran District Court judges to speak with Halverson, took all criminal cases away from her, and eventually, after Halverson hired private bodyguards who bypassed normal courthouse security procedures, kicked her out of the courthouse.
Halverson filed a complaint with the state Supreme Court that Hardcastle exceeded her bounds, and on May 17 the high court allowed Halverson back into the Regional Justice Center, temporarily at least, while it reviews the case.
In addition to censuring, suspending and ultimately removing judges from office, the discipline commission can order judges not to seek judicial office ever again, fine the judges, order training or seek psychological or psychiatric care.
In the past decade the commission has removed two judges and told three others that they could never run or be appointed to a judgeship again.
According to state law, the commission may remove a judge from office if it finds that the judge knowingly or deliberately violated at least one of the provisions of the Nevada Code of Judicial Conduct.
The code mandates that judges are to act “impartially and diligently,” and that they “shall be patient, dignified and courteous to litigants, jurors, witnesses, lawyers and others with whom the judge deals in an official capacity.”
When the commission decides to investigate a misconduct allegation, Sarnowski said it hires a private investigating firm to conduct the actual probe.
The firm that the commission most often works with is Reno-based Advantage Group. it employs six private investigators, including a couple who work out of Las Vegas, said Frank Torres, its president.
Torres, who also said he couldn’t comment on any possible ongoing investigations, said his investigators typically start with the person who drafted the complaint. Then they go from there, depending on where the investigation takes them. The judge is often the last person they talk to, he said.
Investigations can take anywhere from two to more than 30 days, Torres said. Once finished, the investigators write a report that is sent to the commission for review.
If the commission determines there is sufficient cause to proceed, the judge is asked to respond. Then, if the commission finds reason to go forward, a formal, public hearing is held.
That has not happened in Halverson’s case. Based on previous cases, it could take months to get to that stage.
Assuming a probe is under way, investigators likely would be turning to several of Halverson’s former staff, many of whom quit since she took the bench in January. Each of those former staffers - including law clerk Lisa Carroll, judicial executive assistant Ileen Spoor, bailiff Johnny Jordan, court recorder Dick Kangas and court clerk Kathy Streuber - either declined comment or could not be reached. Both Hardcastle and Chuck Short, the District Court’s chief executive officer, declined comment.
Sam Skolnik can be reached at 474-7406 or at sam.skolnik@lasvegassun.com.
The negitive publicity for Judge Halverson is snowballing.
According to an article in today’s Las Vegas Sun (http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/lv-other/2007/jun/04/566621522.html) “Lawyers are fleeing [Judge Halverson's] courtroom in droves. (Par.) … attorneys in 134 instances demanded that their cases be removed from Halverson’s court and heard by another judge. (Par.) To put that number in perspective… [t]he challenges to Halverson amounted to 42 percent of the total made during that period. (Par.) Attorneys were willing to pay $300 per case to be let out of Halverson’s court - or more than $40,000 in court fees.” (Ibid, italics added.)
This is an astounding number, particularly since (apparently) in Nevada the filing fee to file a judicial challenge is $300; $40,000 to challenge one judge in six monthsr is also amazing.
Incidentally, this story was picked up by the AP Wire (see http://www.kesq.com/Global/story.asp?S=6607869&nav=9qrx).
“They don’t like me. They really really don’t like me.”
“They don’t like me.” *rotflmao* Great defense.
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