Clark County Courts Judiciary Names Court Executive Officer
The judiciary of Clark County’s Eighth Judicial District Court and the Las Vegas Township Justice Court have selected Edward A. Friedland, Esq. to serve as the Court Executive Officer and Clerk of the Court of the Clark County Courts.
Friedland replaces Charles J. Short who will retire from the position August 29 after 17 years of service. The judiciary selected Friedland following a national search. His name will submitted by the judiciary for ratification by the Clark County Commission.
Friedland is the first attorney to serve in the position. He will lead an urban court consisting of 47 elected judges, 13 commissioners and hearing masters and approximately 800 employees. The Clark County Courts consist of the Las Vegas Township Justice Court and the Eighth Judicial District Court and represent the largest urban court system in Nevada.
Friedland currently serves as an Assistant Court Administrator for the Clark County Courts responsible for court operations, jury services, interpretive services and court security. He joined the court in 2007 and previously served as the Executive Deputy Commissioner for the New York State Division of Human Rights.
“I am honored to be trusted with the responsibility for leading these courts,” said Friedland. “Our courts face many challenges in our mission to provide everyone access to justice. My goal is to empower our employees to meet those challenges and continue to assist the judiciary in providing excellent public service to the citizens of Clark County.”
Friedland will be immediately responsible for ongoing growth challenges focused on obtaining courtrooms and other infrastructure for eight new judges, responding to staffing needs to keep up with growth in civil and criminal filings, and developing proposed legislation, policies and administrative programs and procedures.
“He brings a wealth of experience to our courts and will help place us in a positive position during a crucial period of growth and change,” said Eighth Judicial District Court Chief Judge Kathy A. Hardcastle, co-chairperson of the search committee.
“Our court continues to process the largest number of cases in Clark County and the United States. We rely on our employees to assist us in processing all of our court cases in a timely manner,” said Las Vegas Township Justice Court Chief Judge Douglas E. Smith, co-chairperson of the search committee. “Mr. Friedland’s experience in leading complex organizations will benefit the court and the community as we work to accomplish our goals.”
In 2005 the elected judges of the Las Vegas Township Justice Court and the Eighth Judicial District Court made a public policy decision to integrate and merge the responsibilities and functions associated with court management, central services and operational infrastructure under the direction of a single court administrator with the intention of finding efficiencies, improving collaboration and strengthening the independence of the judiciary.
The Eighth Judicial District Court is the largest general jurisdiction court in Nevada and encompasses all municipalities and outlying communities in Southern Nevada. The Court’s elected judges preside over more than 90,000 criminal and civil cases filed each year in the court. The Las Vegas Township Justice Court serves as the limited jurisdiction court for urban Clark County, comprising the Las Vegas Strip and the unincorporated areas of Las Vegas. The court’s elected judges preside over more than 50,000 criminal cases, 85,000 small claims, evictions, and other civil disputes, as well as approximately 240,000 traffic matters each year.
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