Applications for state appeals court coming in
CARSON CITY - Five people have applied so far for three seats on the newly established state appeals court, with the deadline to file Wednesday at 5 p.m.
For Department 1, Jerome Tao is the only applicant so far. Department 2 has two applicants: Susan Holland Johnson and Thomas D. Beatty III. Department 3 has two applicants as well, Abbi Silver and Aurora Maria Maskall.
Tao, Johnson and Silver are all serving as judges in Clark County District Court. Beatty is an attorney in private practice in Las Vegas, and Maskall is an attorney in Las Vegas who unsuccessfully sought a family court judgeship in Clark County District Court in the Nov. 4 general election.
Applications must be filed with the Nevada Commission on Judicial Selection, which has scheduled interviews for Dec. 1 through 4. The names of the finalists will be submitted to Gov. Brian Sandoval, who will make the appointments in time for the new judges to take office on Jan. 5.
The appointments will last for two years. The judges will then have to stand for election in 2016.
The new court, which will dispose of more routine cases from the state’s district courts that are now reviewed by the Supreme Court, will be effective starting Jan. 1 although it may take awhile to begin operations.
Question 1 creating the court passed with nearly 54 percent of the vote on Nov. 4.
Contact Sean Whaley at swhaley@reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3900. Find him on Twitter: @seanw801.
