2012 Voter Guide: Laughlin Justice of the Peace

Laughlin Justice of the Peace Tim Atkins says his experience on the bench makes him the better choice in the race, but challenger Jack Weaver says voters should select him because of his experience with criminals and their victims.

"The primary reason that I'm running is because Laughlin suffers from the problem of repeat offenders who continually victimize the residents of Laughlin," said Weaver, a police sergeant.

He said those offenders keep committing crimes because they have no fear of the criminal justice system.

"In my opinion, it's because the judge has no real-life, real-world experience dealing with crime, criminals and the victims of crime," Weaver said.

But Atkins says voters should re-elect him to a second term because he is the only candidate in the race with experience on the bench. In addition, he has received 250 hours of judicial education outside court.

Atkins said he is more willing than someone with a police background to view a defendant as "innocent until proven guilty."

"By putting a police officer on the bench, that's the same thing as turning the court system over to the Police Department," he said.

Atkins was elected in 2006 after the longtime incumbent, Billy Moma, stepped down. Atkins and Weaver emerged from a field of three candidates in this year's primary election.

Justices of the peace in Clark County townships with fewer than 100,000 people, such as Laughlin, need not be licensed attorneys.

Atkins, 61, said he worked in the telephone industry for more than 30 years before he retired to serve as justice of the peace.

He has lived in Laughlin for 27 years. He moved there in 1985 to install cable television for Valley Communications, and after three years, he returned to work in the telephone industry.

Atkins was working as a business technician for Embarq, now known as CenturyLink, when he retired.

Weaver, 55, is a sergeant with the Las Vegas police department, where he has worked since 1980. He previously worked for the Juneau Police Department in Alaska.

Both Atkins and Weaver are Army veterans.

In 2006, Weaver tried unsuccessfully to unseat Searchlight Justice of the Peace Wendell Turner. He also ran for Clark County sheriff in 1982.

Weaver, who has lived and worked in Laughlin for the past nine years, also lived and worked in Laughlin from 1990 to 1994.

Contact reporter Carri Geer Thevenot at cgeer@reviewjournal.com or 702-384-8710.