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Over $1 Million Paid By Phone And Web Providing Speedy Access To Justice

LAS VEGAS – February flew by yet the short month didn’t stop motorists from speeding to pay their traffic tickets. The Las Vegas Township Justice Court collected more than $1 million in traffic fines in just 29 days with its online and phone payment system. This set a new record and demonstrates that more people would rather “Leave the Line” and pay tickets at their convenience rather than stand in a line at the Regional Justice Center. Read more…

All media wishing to participate in the television pool must submit media requests with the Court 72-hours prior to the start of the trial. A media pool area will be provided via microwave feed to the Clark County Parking Lot, near Bonneville Avenue.

A still pool photographer, as selected by the media, will be allowed to occupy a designated area of the courtroom.

Media wishing to obtain seats during this trial should contact Michael Sommermeyer, Court Information Officer, prior to the start of jury selection. Media must present credentials in advance to obtain media seating for this trial.

Starting Tuesday (April 3) and continuing through Friday (April 6), the Las Vegas Grand Prix will impact employee and visitor travel to and from the Regional Justice Center (RJC). Casino Center, Bridger Avenue and Main Street will be closed to traffic west and north of the RJC. Click here for a traffic map and detailed bus and transportation information.

Employees and visitors traveling from the north are asked to travel Las Vegas Boulevard south to Clark Avenue. Visitors traveling from the south should approach the building by either taking Fourth Street or Las Vegas Boulevard north to Bonneville or Clark Avenues.

Friday (April 6) jurors should access the Freemont Street Experience garage by traveling Las Vegas Boulevard south to Carson Avenue and entering the garage on Carson. The Fourth Street entrance will be closed. Jurors will be allowed to park in this garage by showing their jury summons.

CourtTV is currently broadcasting two trials from Clark County’s Regional Justice Center on cable and internet. In State v. Guzman, CourtTV is covering the trial on television. Opening statements were broadcast this afternoon from Judge Michael Cherry’s Dept. 17 courtroom. This trial is expected to continue through the week. Gloria Guzman is accused of drowning her quadriplegic ex-husband, Mark Richards, in a bathtub.

CourtTV Extra, the internet feed of the network, is streaming State v. Werner in Judge Valerie Adair’s Dept. 21 courtroom. This case involves Pierre Werner who is challenging Nevada’s medical marijuana law. He was charged by the state with Possession for Sale a Controlled Substance, Class Schedule I/II.

CourtTV also features video coverage of an incident that occurred last week in the courtroom of District Court Judge Michelle Leavitt, which resulted in a mistrial. Las Vegas attorney Joe Caramango appeared late for trial and was later found by Judge Leavitt to be impaired. CourtTV has posted video from the courtroom proceedings on its website.

Judge Leavitt declared a mistrial in State v. Dale Jakuchunas. The defendant has been charged with first-degree kidnapping and coercion. He faces life in prison if convicted. Judge Leavitt concluded Caramango was unable to provide adequate counsel to Jakuchanuas at the start of trial.

Still looking for information about a court case in the District Court? Wednesday (Aug. 9) from 9 am to 11 am the Court Information Office will host an open house at the Regional Justice Center for news directors, assignment editors, editors, reporters and all other interested media. This event begins with an overview of the RJC and then a look at how to navigate Blackstone for court case lookup. Media will learn how to find cases, locate hidden information about court cases and learn about the various tools offered by the court to make reporting on the courts easier. Seats are limited. Reserve a spot by calling (702) 671-4583.
Agenda

• 9 AM - Meet at the North Information Booth
• 9:15 AM - Overview of the Regional Justice Center
• 9:30 AM - How to Use Court Calendars
• 10 AM - Future Court Calendars and New Case Management System Preview
• 10:30 AM - Questions
• 11 AM - Adjourn

The Regional Justice Center Information Kiosks have served more than 117,000 people since the building opened October 14, 2005. This is a fraction of the number of people who have entered the building since it opened. For the past four months, 475,291 individuals have passed through the security scanners of the building.

Information Docents, such as Bill Reed (above), answer questions about traffic tickets, case filings, probate, probation, trials, DUI schools and other matters related to business in the Regional Justice Center. On an average busy day information docents provide assistance to one customer every 20 seconds. In this photo, Reed answers a question posed by the 100,000th customer, Alegra Goode of California. Listening in on the answer is Alegra’s husband, Ray.

Docents have been counting customers by hand since the day the building opened. In addition, a Frequently Asked Questions book has been compiled allowing docents to find the answers to questions so they can be ready the next time the question is asked.

The Regional Justice Center contains offices and courtrooms for the Nevada Supreme Court, Eighth Judicial District Court, Las Vegas Township Justice Court, Las Vegas Municipal Court, Clark County Clerk, Clark County District Attorney and the Las Vegas City Attorney.