"Bad Service" Trial Begins

Defense attorney Craig Mueller has promised the trial of Maurice Carroll will be a "barn burner." Judge Elissa Cadish will be presiding, with Boyd grad Mike Staudaher for the prosecution.

From the RJ:

The felony charges against Carroll focus on civil cases in which 17 people were sued by Richland Holdings. In each case, the defendant was hit with a default judgment. In some cases, defendants told police they were working when Carroll's employees claimed in affidavits to have found them at home.

(LVRJ; Thanks, Tipster!)

Stan Walton's Visit to CCDC Was Over Missing Millions, Ignoring Warnings

Walton was appointed administrator over an estate that allegedly ended up with approximately $4 million in unaccounted-for funds. Walton apparently received "numerous warnings from probate court and several continuances" before being suspended as administrator of the estate in January 2009. Judge Cadish held Walton in contempt when Walton failed to appear for a judgment debtor exam after being admonished multiple times.

As an aside, what do you guys think is proper mugshot protocol for jailed attorneys - professional smile, or, as Mr. Walton went with here, silent rage?

(LVRJ)

RJC Snitches Get Stitches

Apparently, the higher-ups didn't appreciate the RJ's recent article concerning flaws with the RJC security camera system. So, what's a whistleblower to do when the passive-aggressive emails start flying? Send the emails to the RJ, of course.

It all started when Chief District Judge T. Arthur Ritchie Jr. "chastised" Judge Susan Johnson - who chairs the courthouse security committee - for talking to the RJ about the camera issue:

"I assume you meant well, but you were specifically told that you were not authorized to address this issue for the court," Ritchie wrote. "I am disappointed that you would take it upon yourself to address this issue in this way. ... We will see whether your approach makes this better or worse for the court."

Uh oh. Chief Ritchie is "disappointed," but SJ wasn't about to take Ritchie's little lecture lying down:

Johnson responded that, "You never informed me I was not authorized to address this issue for the court. Your response was ... that you would 'handle this,' which you did not do. Further, while I respect your role as chief judge, you have no authority to instruct me or any district judge that he or she cannot speak to the media without your consent."

Snap! Beautiful and feisty - how bout them apples, Chief?

Next, Chief Justice of the Peace Ann Zimmerman jumped into the "Reply All" pool to defend her fellow Chief:

"I believe that your interview further compromised security at the RJC by exposing potential weaknesses to those who may wish to do harm to our judges and/or the public at the RJC," Zimmerman wrote [to Johnson]. "I believe you had good intentions, but the outcome is otherwise."

"[T]he outcome is otherwise?" That can't be right, can it?

Judge Doug Smith then decided to go ALL CAPS on everyone's ass:

"In the future, please do not disclose our safety to the newspapers. I don't feel comfortable with that disclosure."

When one judge [taking bets on who] responded with a simple "?", Smith wrote back in capital letters: "THIS IS IN REGARDS TO THE NEWSPAPER PERSON ALLOWED INTO OUR BACK OFFICES AND THE BAD PRESS WE RECEIVED. WHO APPROVED THE RELEASE(?)"

CALM DOWN DOUG. THE PUBLIC CLEARLY COULDN'T CARE LESS ABOUT JUDICIAL ELECTIONS - ANY PRESS IS YOUR FRIEND.

Judge Cadish also had some thoughts:

"I too was extremely disturbed to read in the paper about exactly what cameras around the courthouse don't have the view they should have because they're blocked by trees or otherwise out of position. I do think it can easily put us at risk."

By "us," Cadish of course meant all the employees and visitors in the RJC, right? She wasn't just talking about the robed ones who already have private security guards ... right?

SJ defended herself by noting that by speaking to the RJ she "in fact, made the story less negative than it would have been."

We look forward to the next email thread from the judges explaining how organizing a witch hunt instead of just fixing the security problem made the story more positive.

(LVRJ; Thanks Tipsters!)

We Have A Winner ...

In an surprise move (at least according to the comments we've received) on Christmas Eve, President Obama nominated Clark County Chief Deputy District Attorney Gloria Navarro to fill the federal district court seat left vacant by Brian Sandoval in September.

Navarro beat out Judge Cadish and other unknown candidates for the position. Congratulations, Judge Navarro, you are now untouchable. Our condolences to Judge Cadish, who would have surely won the spot if the decision were based upon the candidate with the best perm.

On a side note, Judge Navarro shares her name with the current Miss Cougar America. Coincidence?

(LV Sun)

Thanksgiving Leftovers

Apparently the shenanigans don't stop just because we take a long weekend. Here are some of the stories we missed while stuffing ourselves:

Attorney Michael Amador reportedly pulled a gun on someone in a bar on Wednesday night and was arrested. He had to be taken to the hospital before he was booked. Keep it real, G.

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The LV Sun is reporting that Judge Hottie filed for divorce from Ed "Puppy Strangler" Miley on November 13 citing "incompatibility." The pictures on the right of the Sun's story will give you a little hint as to what that "incompatibility" was. We have conflicting information, however, because one of our commenters reported the following on November 22nd:

Was out this weekend and saw Randy and Stefany Miley. Apparently he is out of rehab. They were holding hands, kissing - lovy dovey stuff. So it looks like she has no backbone and is taking him back.

Sing it with us: Tale as old as time ...

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State Senate Majority Leader Steven Horsford pulled a "Libo" outside the Aviary Park in North Las Vegas and got busted by Channel 13. Here's Horsford's explanation:

I apologize for any inconvenience I may have caused in inadvertently parking in an unauthorized parking space.

Inadvertently? Yeah, right. See the full story to get a feel for how big of a pussy the Senator is being over fessing up to his mistake.

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Finally, Nevada Appeal is running an AP story that confirms U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has interviewed both Clark County District Judge Elissa Cadish and Clark County Chief Deputy District Attorney Gloria Navarro to fill the open Sandoval/Jones U.S. District Court seat.

Las Vegas attorney Kathy England said Reid's consideration of the women is in line with President Barrack Obama's emphasis on diversifying the federal bench. Okeydokey. No more penises ... got it.

Looks like we have our short list, Cadish said she expects a decision "relatively quickly."

Followup Roundup

Happy Friday! We have a little potpourri of followup stories for you today:

First, remember our friend Chuck? Well, it turns out Chuck is stupid.

Only two days after the LV Sun published their story regarding his fraudulent activities, Chuck fell for an undercover sting that caught him in the act of practicing law without a license. From the LV Sun:

Tuesday’s sting was conducted after the Nevada State Bar asked police to investigate Radosevich for allegedly passing himself off as a licensed lawyer. He has never been one in Nevada and he was disbarred in Colorado and Nebraska.

Two Metro detectives posing as a couple went to Radosevich and asked him for legal help. The detectives paid Radosevich $200 for the services they requested and then disclosed their true identities and cited him.

Attaboy Chuck! If at first you don't succeed ...

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Next, the LV Sun is reporting that our old friend Ed Miley was a member of the State Bar's disciplinary board at the time he choked his dog to death while beating his hot wife in front of their children and firing a handgun in his backyard.

The money quote regarding the matter came from attorney Jeffrey Albregts, chairman of the Southern Nevada board, who said:

I don’t intend to appoint him to anymore disciplinary panels, I don’t think that would be beneficial or fair to everyone involved in those processes.

Good call, Jeff. We've additionally learned that Ed was the "model attorney" chosen to give last year's Bridge The Gap presentation on criminal law. Don't suppose he covered DV or cruelty to animals, did he?

According to the LV Sun, Ed is scheduled to emerge from rehab at the end of the month, and his arraignment in Las Vegas Justice Court has been put off until December 1st.

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Finally, it looks like Judge Cadish may have some competition for that empty U.S. District Court seat. The LV Sun is reporting that Chief Deputy District Attorney Gloria Navarro is on that same "short list" to fill the seat.

Navarro currently works in the district attorney's civil division, and before that she was a deputy special public defender.

Perhaps most importantly, however, she is a she.

(LV Sun)

Judge Cadish A Possible Candidate For U.S. District Court

District Court Judge Elissa Cadish is rumored to be on the "short list" of possible candidates to fill Judge Clive Jones' spot in U.S. District Court. From the LV Sun:

Reid’s office has been inquiring within the legal community about Cadish’s credentials. He’s said to be looking for a woman to fill the lifetime judicial seat.

Huh. Wonder if they have a masseuse over at the federal building.

So, commenters, what do you think about her "credentials?" Has she impressed any of you in the past two years? Enough to deserve a lifetime appointment?

The Sun also noted that veteran U.S. magistrates Peggy Leen in Las Vegas and Valerie Cooke in Reno were being considered.

(LV Sun)

Monday News Roundup

On Friday, a federal jury found that apparently people do have to pay taxes, convicting Mr. Kahre and friends for using a gold coin scheme to evade taxes. (RJ)

Does being grossly obese count as contributory negligence? Louie Anderson is soon to find out (Courthouse News Service) [thanks to W for tip]

Apparently, judicial ethics do have a place in Nevada. Judge Cadish recuses herself from prosecution of Lt. Governor Krolicki case, citing potential conflict of interest. (RJ)

Dennis Kennedy [pictured left] proves that if you own the firm, there's no tie or wall decoration too tacky to have in your business profile (LV Business Press)

Sometimes Even The State Hires Outside Counsel

When a normal law firm has a conflict, they should refer the case out.

What happens, however, when the State of Nevada is the "firm" with the conflict? Looks like they do the same (only with us taxpayers footing the bill).

After the indictment issued in December, District Judge Elissa Cadish disqualified the attorney general's office from prosecuting Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki because it would create an "appearance of impropriety." Indeed.

Some may argue, however, that the state's choice of "special prosecutor" creates quite another "appearance." The state apparently made their choice based on great hair: Dominic Gentile.

We're not discrediting Gentile's ability, he has to be a great attorney to be billing out at $610/hr over at Gordon Silver. We do, however, question the choice of such a high profile criminal defense attorney for the job. Maybe the state will put him through some sort of prosecutor boot camp where he kicks puppies and takes ice cream from children. That ought to toughen him up.

To help save the taxpayers a little scratch, Dom agreed to cap his hourly rate at $345 an hour. Also, the firm agreed that its total bill wouldn't exceed $415,000. We're guessing that they will come coincidentally close to that number.

Dom doesn't quite have the job yet. The AG's recommendation will be forwarded to the state Board of Examiners, which will consider the proposal in mid-August.

Congratulations, Dom! If you get the job, don't let that Namby Pamby "compassion" you picked up from all those years of criminal defense get in the way of nailing Krolicki to the wall.

(LVRJ)

What is the opposite of a "happy ending?"

The great Jane Ann Morrison over at the RJ busted two District Court Judges for using jury deliberation rooms as their own private massage parlors. The judges in question are Elissa Cadish and Susan Johnson. From Morrison's blog:

Cadish was the instigator. She said her former law firm let a massage therapist visit the law office for the convenience of employees. About a year ago, she contacted him and he started coming up on Fridays, setting up his massage bench in the jury deliberation room and offering massages for a dollar a minute like the ones at the mall.

Damn. Hale Lane hires massage therapists for the convenience of their employees? Nice!

The judges were just getting upper body massages, no nudity involved, but Chief Judge T. Arthur Ritchie, Jr. (again, the most pretentious name on the bench) thought that the public perception of the massages may be a problem. Thus, Judge Ritchie has asked that if the judges insist on continuing with the massages, they have them done in their private chambers. Yeah, that should help with perception.

(LVRJ; Thanks to everyone who sent this in)