Court administrator plans to retire in June

Clark County Court Administrator Chuck Short said Wednesday that he will retire in June to spend more time with his family and possibly run for elected office.

"It's been a great experience, and it's been a great honor to have served the judiciary," said Short, who has served as the court administrator for more than 15 years.

Short said he would consider running for public office such as university regent, Clark County commissioner or Las Vegas city councilman.

While administrator, Short helped create the Family Court and expanded the use of specialty courts such as the drug court and mental health court.

He said the specialty courts have been important because they allow people to get treatment rather than jail time.

"We attempt to stabilize them and help them become productive members of society rather than warehousing them in prison," he said.

Short also oversaw the courts while the county experienced a population boom.

He joked that he sometimes introduced himself as the "growth administrator" rather than the court administrator.

During this expansion, Short played a role in planning the Regional Justice Center. The $185 million facility went over budget and took longer than expected to be completed.

Short said he regrets not being more forceful about getting the 18-story building completed on time.

"We knew the project was in trouble probably within a year of construction," he said.

Chief District Judge Kathy Hardcastle praised Short and his work.

"He has enabled the court system to grow from a small city court to a metropolitan urban court serving more than 2 million people," Hardcastle said in a statement. "His leadership provided a road map for this court during a time of rapid growth and his ability to see beyond the present has benefited everyone who utilizes the courts."