According to the Commission’s order,”Judge Elizabeth Halverson should be and therefore she is immediately removed on a permanent basis from her elective office as district judge. By operation of law, she will not be able to seek judicial office in Nevada.”

The Commission also added to the order that Halverson’s,”antics and willful misconduct will be felt by the judicial system for a significant future period of time.”

Individuals who have unpaid traffic tickets in the Las Vegas Township Justice Court will be offered amnesty until February 6, 2009 to pay an outstanding obligation.

“We are offering amnesty to anyone who wants to come in and clear up an outstanding ticket or warrant with no additional penalties,” said Chief Judge Douglas E. Smith. “Once amnesty is over, you risk additional fines, a mark on your credit report, or even arrest if you fail to take advantage of it. Amnesty is your best opportunity to take care of a longstanding obligation with the court.”

Amnesty for unpaid traffic obligations will remain in effect until February 6, 2009. Starting February 9, 2009 the court will begin enforcing warrants for all unpaid traffic tickets in the Las Vegas Justice Court. Individuals with outstanding warrants risk arrest for failure to pay an outstanding traffic obligation. The warrants will be enforced by local law enforcement.

“We are pleased to work as a partner of the court and will actively enforce warrants for unpaid tickets once this amnesty ends,” said Las Vegas Township Constable Robert (Bobby G.) Gronauer.

Individuals with outstanding traffic obligations with the Las Vegas Township Justice Court are encouraged to resolve them by calling the court’s automated phone system at (702) 671-3444 or (877) 455-1289, visiting the court’s payment website found in English: www.clarkcountycourts.us/paythefine and in Spanish: www.clarkcountycourts.us/pagarlamulta, or by coming in person to the Traffic Division Office on the First Floor of the Regional Justice Center at 200 Lewis Avenue.

WHEN:    10:30 a.m., Friday (Nov. 14).

WHERE:    South Entrance, Regional Justice Center, 201 Clark Ave., Las Vegas.

EVENT:    The Las Vegas Township Justice Court will offer amnesty to individuals who have unpaid traffic tickets in the court.  This news conference will detail the number of outstanding warrants and how court will work with its partners after amnesty ends to enforce them.

CONTACT:    Michael Sommermeyer, Court Information Officer, (702) 671-4534.

WHEN:    Thursday (Nov. 13) at 8:15 a.m.

WHERE:    Family Court Atrium, Family Court and Services Center, 601 N. Pecos.

EVENT:    Clark County’s Family Court, Division of Family Services, CASA and The Adoption Exchange will observe the Seventh Annual Adoption Day at 8:15 a.m., Thursday (Nov. 13), in the Family Court Atrium, 601 N. Pecos, Las Vegas.

During the reception, new families will be welcomed by Judy Tudor, manager of the Department of Family Services, and an adoptive family who finalized an adoption last year.

From 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. adoptive families will finalize adoptions during special court hearings planned for the morning in various courtrooms.  More than 35 adoptions, impacting the lives of more than 45 children, are expected to take place.

Judges Cheryl Moss, Jennifer Elliott, Lisa Kent, Dianne Steel and Sandra Pomrenze will preside over adoptions.  Families and judges will be available to interview regarding the adoption process.

CONTACT:    Michael Sommermeyer, Court Information Officer, (702) 671-4534, or Christine M. Skorupski, Public Information Officer – DFS, (702) 455-4019.

Chief Judge Kathy A. Hardcastle has assigned Family Court Judge Jennifer Elliott to serve as the Eighth Judicial District Court’s Adult Drug Court Judge, effective Nov. 12.  In addition to her Family Court responsibilities, Elliott will preside over the Adult Criminal Drug Court, the Prison Re-entry Drug Court and the Dependency Mother’s Drug Court.

Judge Hardcastle indicated that placing a sitting judge and preparing for expansion in drug court has been a priority for the court.  “Expanding the use of the Drug Courts is good public policy,” Hardcastle said.

Judge Elliott has been a licensed attorney in Nevada since 1986, and was a licensed marriage and family therapist in Nevada, graduating from University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 1998 with a masters of science in counseling, before taking the bench in 2002.

”I am honored that Chief Judge Hardcastle and Chief-Elect Art Ritchie have the confidence in me and my judicial record to place me in charge of Drug Court, which has over 600 participants,” said Judge Elliott. “There were less than five drug courts when Judge Jack Lehman pioneered Clark County’s first Drug Court in the early 1990’s, and now there are over 2,700 drug courts nationwide.  This is because drug courts work to reduce the number of days in jail and reduce state and county costs through a reduction in the drug seeking behavior and related crimes of drug abuse.”

The District Court’s Adult Drug Court program is available as a sentencing option to defendants with a drug addiction.  The court program mandates sobriety and advocates treatment over incarceration for those willing to change.  Individuals accepted into the program must abstain from all drugs, including alcohol, and attend counseling sessions and weekly court sessions for at least one year.

Currently more than 600 individuals are enrolled in the Adult Criminal Drug Court, which has expanded to three days a week at the Regional Justice Center.  In order to share courtrooms, Judge Elliott will conduct in-custody drug court hearings  via video conference.

“We’ll do whatever we can to get our work done with the courtrooms we have,” stated Chief Judge-Elect Art Ritchie.

The Eighth Judicial District’s Drug Courts are considered models for other courts across the nation.  Since September 1992, the Adult Criminal Drug Court has served more than 9,000 people and more than over 3,900 have graduated from the program.

The District Court operates an Adult Criminal Drug Court, a Prison Re-entry Drug Court, a Juvenile Drug Court, a Dependency Drug Court, a Dependency Mother’s Drug Court, and a Child Support Drug Court.

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For more information or to arrange an interview contact Michael Sommermeyer, Court Information Officer, (702) 671-4534.

Customers may use the drop boxes located on the first floors of the RJC by security if they need to file an item after hours. The Civil Division Clerk’s Office will reopen at 8 a.m. on November 10, 2008.