NORTH LAS VEGAS QUESTION
Candidates for municipal judgeships in North Las Vegas are not required to hold law degrees nor make judgeships their full-time jobs upon election.
But if a question on next month's ballot passes, candidates would be required to do both in the future.
The city's voters will be asked to decide whether new municipal judges in the city must be members in good standing of the State Bar of Nevada and must make judgeships their full-time jobs.
The argument in favor of the item's passage states that a citizen over the age of 18 should not have the right to be a municipal judge "simply because he/she happens to reside in the city," and that "proper education and qualifications should be mandated to properly hear cases in our courts."
In addition, the argument states that it is critical for a municipal judge to "devote full time to his/her duties" and "give his/her utmost attention to the needs of this position."
The argument opposed to passage states that requiring candidates to hold a law degree would shrink the number of eligible candidates for municipal judge in North Las Vegas to fewer than 70 people and that "honesty, compassion ... and solid common sense," not a law degree, make a good judge.
The argument further states that making the judgeship a full-time position would require judges to suspend their practices as attorneys, which also could "severely limit the number of people who would be interested in running for this position."
One of the city's current two municipal judges holds a law degree; the other does not. Judge Warren VanLandschoot, before becoming a judge, spent nearly three decades with the North Las Vegas Police Department, where he worked as a police officer and detective.
Judge Sean Hoeffgen graduated from the University of San Diego School of Law in 1996.
Both men make the judgeships their full-times jobs, Court Administrator Debbie Miller said.
The ballot question's passage would affect only new judges.
Contact reporter Lynnette Curtis at lcurtis@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0285.
