Big day at the courthouse

It's hard to figure what was the bigger news Friday down at the Regional Justice Center: The fact that Michael Jackson didn't show up or that Elizabeth Halverson did.

Jacko was supposed to testify this week in a Las Vegas case he brought to stop an auction featuring Jackson family memorabilia. But after security concerns were raised, the court sanctioned his testimony via video link.

And in the end, the pop star didn't testify at all. Instead, his attorneys withdrew their effort to kill the auction.

But while Jackson was a no-show, Halverson was not.

The District Court judge was banned from the courthouse last week after violating security protocol. But on Thursday, the Nevada Supreme Court ruled Judge Halverson could return to work on Friday -- which she did.

It was the latest in a string of controversies involving Judge Halverson, who was elected to the bench in November. Before being banned from the courthouse -- that allegation was that she hired two personal bodyguards and allowed them to bypass court security -- Judge Halverson had been removed from all criminal cases due to concerns about her competence.

In addition, Chief District Judge Kathy Hardcastle had ordered Judge Halverson to meet with three veteran judges to discuss her performance.

The Halverson mess has given momentum to those who seek to abolish judicial elections in Nevada in favor of an appointment process. But appointing judges rather than electing them does not guarantee an able judiciary.

And, in fact, Judge Halverson will face the voters again in 2008. If she's still in office then -- her critics surely know that state law sets out procedures for removing a sitting judge midterm -- it's our guess that the wisdom of the electorate will be confirmed.