Nevada Assembly OKs process to fire judges
CARSON CITY — Judges playing hooky from their training may end up losing their jobs.
The Nevada Assembly on Monday passed Assembly Bill 28, which would put a process in place that can force municipal judges and justices of the peace to forfeit their office for failure to complete mandatory training.
Current law requires judges to forfeit their office if training is incomplete, but the Nevada Commission Judicial Discipline has said the law is insufficient because no process is spelled out for how, exactly, that unfolds.
The bill puts additional steps in place for judges, including a 30-day notice from the commission, a chance to respond and a public hearing.
The bill also has language that gives the commission discretion to find that there was a “reasonable excuse” for a judge’s failure to attend training.
The vote was 40-0, with Assemblyman James Ohrenschall, D-Las Vegas, and Assemblywoman Melissa Woodbury, R-Las Vegas, absent. The measure now goes to the Senate.
Contact Ben Botkin at bbotkin@reviewjournal.com or 775-461-0661. Follow @BenBotkin1 on Twitter.
