Maladies offer evidence against Halverson’s claim she’s up to the task

Years ago, Reader's Digest published a series of feature stories on medical breakthroughs.

I remember the stories because they always seemed to be about a fellow named "Joe," who every few weeks suffered from a life-threatening malady. If memory serves, the articles fell under general titles such as, "I Am Joe's Heart," "I Am Joe's Liver," "I Am Joe's Lower Intestine," and so forth.

This Joe, he was always on the brink of death or disfigurement. Heart disease one week, gout the next. He was a mess. (I never did read a story titled, "I Am Joe's Insurance Policy." It would have been one tall tale.)

I was reminded of Joe on Monday as I listened with interest to District Judge Elizabeth Halverson tell her side of a story that has led to her suspension from the bench and the threat of administrative removal from a position to which she was elected by the voters of this community. Last week, the Nevada Supreme Court heard Halverson's appeal of her July 25 suspension by the Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline.

Without filing formal charges, it determined Halverson's presence on the bench was a threat to the public and the justice system.

In a meeting with editors and reporters at the Review-Journal, Halverson leveled criticism at several veteran judges and a slew of courthouse staff, then assured skeptics that allegations against her of incompetence and arrogance are blown out of proportion by ticket-fixing critics inside the "corrupt" Regional Justice Center.

As she presented her case and minimized her own questionable judgment, it was evident Halverson possessed a bright intellect. I left the gathering believing that, given time and encouragement in a nurturing atmosphere, she might have grown into the job and been a credit to the court.

That's not possible now. No matter how the Supreme Court rules, it's hard to imagine the cloud above her lifting enough to allow her to continue without experiencing the constant threat of appeal.

But that's not the tragedy. Halverson isn't the first rookie judge to look bad. And if arrogance in the judiciary were a crime, there would be plenty of vacant courtrooms.

The worst part of the tortured tale of Elizabeth Halverson's rapid rise and fall from District Court is the fact she doesn't appear healthy enough to do the job.

It's no secret Halverson is a large woman -- her size made her an easy target for derision -- but her weight issues should have nothing to do whether she takes the bench.

It's her personal health issues, as she recounted them, I found alarming. During her interview, Halverson recounted enough medical issues to qualify for her own reality TV show.

She has great difficulty walking and uses a steady supply of bottled oxygen. Nothing necessarily wrong with that: Judges do a lot more sitting than heavy lifting.

A diabetic for the past 10 years, in February Halverson suffered a hypoglycemic attack so severe she passed out. Another incident she described left her conscious but speechless, ostensibly paralyzed. She keeps Lifesavers and small snacks on the bench to quickly balance her volatile blood sugar and said the incidents have increased to "once a month."

Although Halverson said she's confident she can keep the diabetic issues in check, she admitted, "It has been problematic this year."

She also said she suffers from Crohn's disease and the after-effects of cancer. She's experienced congestive heart failure, and survived a life-threatening bacteria infection that literally ate away the bones in her feet. Not to mention the knee injury that impedes her ability to walk or the shoulder injury that limits her arm motions.

Add to that the fact she said the ceiling lighting at the courthouse makes her dizzy enough to need to lie down, and you get the picture. Reader's Digest's Joe had nothing on District Court's Elizabeth.

With all that said, I don't believe Halverson should be yanked from the bench like some rotten molar by either the Nevada Supreme Court or Judicial Discipline Commission. She was elected, and that vote must be respected.

Persons with disabilities must be allowed equal opportunity to pursue their goals and dreams.

Although Halverson insisted Monday she's healthy enough to perform her stressful duties, she was anything but convincing.

When it comes to medical issues, Judge Halverson is not your Average Joe.

John L. Smith's column appears Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. E-mail him at Smith@reviewjournal.com or call 383-0295.