Business Court Expands to Meet Demands

Some of the more contentious litigations involving the first-trust deed crisis are being played out in Business Court, which has seen a
dramatic, 29 percent increase in cases in the past year, a District Court official says.

In fact, reports court information officer Michael Sommermeyer, District Court has added a third judge to its Business Court function
in order to accommodate the increased activity.

The new judge is Kathleen Delaney, who this week joins bench veterans Elizabeth Gonzalez and Mark Denton.

The idea behind the creation of Business Court, Chief Judge Art Ritchie says, is to increase efficiency and reduce the time it takes
lawsuits to move through the system.

Two intriguing lawsuits before the court involve first-trust deed mortgage owners Jeff Guinn of Aspen Financial and Leo Davenport of GFD
Investments. Guinn is the son of former Gov. Kenny Guinn. Davenport is the former chairman of the Las Vegas Planning Commission.

Aspen, which last year reported servicing $480 million in first-trust loans, is being sued by Donna Ruthe. GFD is defending a
lawsuit filed by equipment rental king and former Spending and Government Efficiency Commission member Don Ahern.

Judge Delaney has experience in corporate, labor, and employment law and was a senior Deputy Attorney General in the Bureau of Consumer Protection.