Mark’s Soap Box

Judge Elizabeth Halverson when she was still da Judge

Things got hot in Vegas! A Bailiff for Judge Halverson testified that he was her “house nigger”.

Monday, a bailiff was in tears as he described how Judge Elizabeth Halverson treated him on the job.

Oh yes the courtroom drama is even being broadcast on what used to be CourTV. I have no clue what they call it now.

He then became quite animated, and agitated.

At one point, Jordan became so emotional that he stood up from the witness stand and looked directly at Judge Halverson.

Jordan: “I am doing everything to keep my composure here. I can’t stand what she did to me. And my question is why? What does it say for America? What does it say about all of you? I don’t have any faith in nothing.”

Jordan: “I don’t have any faith in nothin’ — it’s not right. She asked me how it made me feel? I feel like I have a right, can I have some rights here to answer it.”

Judge Richard Wagner: “Go ahead. Go ahead and state your answer sir.”

Jordon started to get very upset, and really let her have it.

Jordan: “It is not right. What does it say about America, what does it say about the President of the United States? If you guys allow her to be in office after all of this, what does it say about all of you? What does it say? This is bullcrap. I was up here, robbed of my rights, my dignity. How would you feel if it happened to you? How would you feel?”

Judge Richard Wagner: “It is important that we have some decorum here. Let’s just take a minute. Before we start cross examination I want to take a short recess.”

Wow! More specifically:

… her former bailiff who testified on Monday that Halverson forced him to rub her feet, fix her lunch, and pick cat hair off of her robe. Johhnie Jordan, Halverson’s former bailiff, said Monday, “I can’t stand what she did to me, and my question is why?”

Halverson was removed from the bench last year after Chief Judge Kathy Hardcastle found her to be incompetent, abusive to her staff, and would fall asleep in court. Halverson claims that she is the victim of politics, believing that Hardcastle is upset because she ran — and lost — to Halverson’s ex-husband.

Judge Hardcastle testified today that Halverson was a divisive person, and that she was taking up too much of the Hardcastle’s time as Chief District Judge.

“I reached the point where I had judges refusing to attend meetings if she was going to be there because she was so disparaging to everyone and to the other judges,” says Hardcastle.

Hardcastle testified for about an hour-and-a-half Monday night and took the stand again first thing Tuesday morning for four-and-a-half hours. Hardcastle says she became aware of the problems in Judge Halverson’s courtroom about a month-and-a-half after Halverson took the bench in mid-February of 2007. She had heard complaints made by Halverson’s staff and took action in April of 2007 by filing a formal complaint against Halverson.

Halverson had been a “law clerk” for nine years, and has never been a practicing attorney before she was elected to the office. BTW nine years is NOT normal. One, maybe two years at most.

Tuesday, Hardcastle told the Commissioners that she had doubts about Halverson’s legal abilities long before she was arrested. “Personally, I found her to be incompetent as a law clerk and not capable of doing her job,” testifies Chief Judge Hardcastle. “I had questions as to whether or not she would be able to perform her tasks as a judge if she was elected.”

Some good news for Halverson, a Judge has agreed to hear Halverson’s argument that he rights to due process are being violated. Halverson has filed a TRO in Federal court claiming she has been denied her constitutional rights.

She claims that she was not given information that would have helped her prepare her case. Sadly the Prosecutor wanted to ban Halverson from calling witnesses, saying she would have turned the proceedings into a “laughing stock.” While true, that’s not a very good reason.

Here is an example of her “maturity”. This from a memo last year that details a meeting between three senior Judges in an attempt to help her modify her behavior in a positive manner.

• She’s told it’s inappropriate to have staff rub her feet or her back. Her answer: She’d told the bailiff to stop that, that he’d become too familiar with her.

• She’s told she should not require staff to show up at 6:45 a.m. to wait for her arrival at 8 or 8:30 a.m. Her answer: She’d told the bailiff not to come early, but he wouldn’t listen.

• She’s told she should not have staff make her lunch. Answer: The bailiff wants to make her lunch.

• She’s told there are 20-25 orders missing. Answer: She’s shocked.

• She’s told it’s unethical to make statements showing bias against attorneys, particularly those who didn’t give to her campaign. Answer: Yes, she said it, but since nobody gave her money for her campaign, she’s not discriminating against anyone.

• She’s told the demeaning way she talks to her husband, Ed, referring to him as a “bitch” (and worse), is offensive to staff. Answer: She doesn’t know why that would upset the staff, but the solution is to have him not come to her chambers.

• Told she should treat people with dignity and respect, Halverson said she didn’t know specifically what she was doing wrong.

Did she help her situation? You be the Judge:

After she answered every allegation made against her, Judge Bell told her, “If you can’t see it, you can’t fix it. Get some psychological help.”

Halverson is up for re-election, what balls on this bitch. The LVRJ is NOT recommending she be re-elected. Good call.

Previously On The Island

• Halverson Loses Appeal
• Halverson Suspended
• We don’t need no stinkin security checks – not like criminals are here.
• Halverson on the offensive – claims ticket fixing
• Halverson v Hardcastle – the fight is on
• Spoor sues Halverson – fired her, now she strikes back.
• Even Drudge is catching on – nice pic!
• No wonder she went to law school – her hubby is a crook.
• Traffic Referee, only in Vegas – do they get stripe shirts?

Tags: Halverson, Hardcastle, Nevada, Las Vegas, Kathy Hardcastle, Elizabeth Halverson, Charles Thompson, ilene spoor, spoor, traffic ticket, ticket, lawsuit, nevada