EDITORIAL: For District Court, Departments 19, 23 and 25

The Review-Journal editorial board offers the following endorsements in this fall’s elections for District Court, Departments 19, 23 and 25.

Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Bill Kephart and attorney Cliff Marcek are running to replace District Judge Allan Earl, who is retiring from Department 19 after 14 years on the bench. In last year’s Review-Journal Judicial Performance Evaluation, 69 percent of attorneys who participated in the survey said Judge Kephart should be retained. Judge Kephart was a prosecutor for more than 20 years before winning election in 2010 to the Justice Court bench, where he has worked in veterans court and helped create night court. Mr. Marcek, who represents primarily plaintiffs in civil litigation, is president of the Nevada Justice Association. We like Judge Kephart’s skepticism of his own profession — he says some money grabbers within the legal community have been “an embarrassment” — and we think he would be a fine addition to the District Court bench. The Review-Journal endorses Bill Kephart in Department 19.

In Department 23, incumbent Judge Stefany Miley is being challenged by Craig Friedberg. Over the past four years, no District Court judge has shown more improvement in the Review-Journal’s survey than Judge Miley. In 2010, just 42 percent of attorneys who participated in the survey said she should be retained. In 2013, 62 percent of attorneys said she should be retained. Mr. Friedberg is a fine candidate, with 28 years of practice and experience as a short-trial judge, hearing officer and arbitrator. But Judge Miley’s improvement indicates she’s worthy of re-election. The Review-Journal endorses Judge Stefany Miley in Department 23.

In Department 25, incumbent Judge Kathleen Delaney is seeking re-election against Sean Connell. In last year’s Review-Journal survey, 65 percent of attorneys said Judge Delaney should be retained. Judge Delaney has overseen all adult specialty courts, including those that deal with drug offenders and mentally ill defendants, and currently handles appeals from the state’s foreclosure mediation program. Mr. Connell makes a good case for his candidacy, but he has practiced law for only 13 years. We’d like to see him run for judge again, when he gains more experience. The Review-Journal endorses Judge Kathleen Delaney in Department 25.