Judge Halverson Loses Suit, Must Run for Re-Election
Last week, Judge Elizabeth Halverson's motorized scooter hit a speed bump, while attempting to ferry Her Honor into four more years of judicial office. From the Las Vegas Review-Journal:
The Supreme Court rejected Thursday embattled District Judge Elizabeth Halverson's claim that she should not have to face re-election this November, two years after being elected to the bench.The court voted 7-0 to throw out Halverson's lawsuit in which she claimed she and District Judges James Bixler, Susan Johnson and William Potter should not have been required to file for re-election this fall because their terms shouldn't end until 2012.
Judge Halverson's argument before the Nevada Supreme Court was previously covered here (incl. video clip). Some commenters were impressed by Judge Halverson's advocacy. Alas, in the end, it wasn't enough to sway the court:
Halverson, acting as her own lawyer, argued that the law creating these seats was unconstitutional because the state constitution sets district judge terms at six years.But the Supreme Court, looking back at a decision made in 1871, said the constitution permits shorter terms when the intent is to have all district judges run on the same election cycle.
But if you'd like Judge Halverson to relinquish the stage, you'll have to carry her off yourself. She's not going without a fight:
In the Thursday decision, the Supeme Court justices took the unusual step to point out in a footnote that Halverson had filed a complaint against them with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission over the length of her term. Halverson, according to the court, failed to inform the justices of the complaint when she appeared before them June 13 during oral arguments in the case.The court was served with the EEOC complaint on June 23.
"We nevertheless determine that we have a duty to sit and decide this matter," stated the court in the decision written by Justice Jim Hardesty.
Yes, that's right. Judge Halverson has filed an EEOC complaint against the Nevada Supreme Court. Awesomeness.
With just over a month to go until the judicial election, we're concerned about her fate. It is imperative that she be kept on the bench. Please visit her website, Halverson4Judge.com, and do whatever you can to support her. For specific information about how to make a campaign contribution, click here. Thanks.
Halverson's election lawsuit rejected [Las Vegas Review-Journal]
Elect Elizabeth Halverson - Volunteer [Halverson4Judge.com]
Earlier: Judge Halverson Gets Her Day in Court
(90) Comments
Must run!
"Stand" for reelection would be difficult enough, but "run" for reelection surely impossible.
Boot
E
Juice?
Look, it ain't over until she sings.
I cannot wait to check the comments here in about an hour. It will literally be the only thing I am looking forward to for the rest of the day.
Bring me Solo and the Wookie! They will all suffer for this outrage!
IF this commercial does not sway your vote, nothing will:
http://www.halverson4judge.com/commercial-pop.html
Raising the bar and breaking the bench
I didn't know morbidly obese was now a protected class.
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
enough about her already! who the f cares
I feel sorry for her.
That campaign commercial is inherently sick. If those kids actually saw her they'd run away screaming.
Should I contribute money or food?
Lat going to bat for Kozinski, OK, he's at least CJ of CA9. But come on, that last paragraph endorsing this clown is just dumb.
From the EEOC website http://www.eeoc.gov/types/ada.html
DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION
Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 prohibits private employers, state and local governments, employment agencies and labor unions from discriminating against qualified individuals with disabilities in job application procedures, hiring, firing, advancement, compensation, job training, and other terms, conditions, and privileges of employment. The ADA covers employers with 15 or more employees, including state and local governments. It also applies to employment agencies and to labor organizations. The ADA's nondiscrimination standards also apply to federal sector employees under section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act, as amended, and its implementing rules.
AN INDIVIDUAL WITH A DISABILITY IS A PERSON WHO:
Has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities;
Has a record of such an impairment; or
Is regarded as having such an impairment.
A qualified employee or applicant with a disability is an individual who, with or without reasonable accommodation, can perform the essential functions of the job in question. Reasonable accommodation may include, but is not limited to:
Making existing facilities used by employees readily accessible to and usable by persons with disabilities. [I.E., AN INDUSTRIAL LIFT TO ASCEND TO THE BENCH, SELF WASHING TOILET.]
Job restructuring, modifying work schedules, reassignment to a vacant position [I.E. MORE TIME TO EAT, NAP.];
Acquiring or modifying equipment or devices, adjusting or modifying examinations, training materials, or policies, and providing qualified readers or interpreters.
An employer is required to make a reasonable accommodation to the known disability of a qualified applicant or employee if it would not impose an "undue hardship" on the operation of the employer's business. Undue hardship is defined as an action requiring significant difficulty or expense when considered in light of factors such as an employer's size, financial resources, and the nature and structure of its operation.
An employer is not required to lower quality or production standards to make an accommodation; nor is an employer obligated to provide personal use items such as glasses or hearing aids.
Interesting from her bio:
"In her primary school years, Elizabeth was a . . . cheerleader in her junior high years. In high school . . . Elizabeth also had a passion for sports and revived the school's women's basketball program as the program manager. She lettered in basketball."
Wonder what happened. Kind of sad.
5:21 -- She ate the basketball. And the team. And the other cheerleaders. That's what happened.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008 4:59 PM
Look, it ain't over until she sings.
. . .
Well done, 4:59.
Vote for Stefany Miley. http://www.lvrj.com/news/12456196.html
http://electjudgemiley.com/index.html
At least Miley's commercial shows her picture, hot.
Judge Halverson was named in its annual Best of Las Vegas” awards for 2008 as “Most Colorful Character”. http://www.lvrj.com/bestoflv/people/16823706.html
The interesting thing is that Halverson devotes an entire web page to this “honor” in her re-election website, which she spins as a sort of endorsement:
http://www.halverson4judge.com/bestoflasvegas/
Judge Halverson was named in its annual Best of Las Vegas” awards for 2008 as “Most Colorful Character”. http://www.lvrj.com/bestoflv/people/16823706.html
The interesting thing is that Halverson devotes an entire web page to this “honor” in her re-election website, which she spins as a sort of endorsement:
http://www.halverson4judge.com/bestoflasvegas/
If I could ask a favor, please hold off on attaching pictures (especially multiple pictures!!) of Judge Halverson to any threads about her. Since we all know what she looks like I think you should just use file photos of Kash- it would be much easier on my eyes.
Thanks,
ATL Reader and Kash fan
http://www.halverson4judge.com/bio/
"At the age of nineteen, Elizabeth was accepted to the University of Southern California Law Center. She graduated in 1980 with a Juris Doctorate (JD)."
WTH 4:59? that's pretty gross
I think it's interesting when lawyers don't even know the name of the degree they hold. There is no such thing as a Juris Doctorate. It's Juris Doctor.
She graduated USC Summa Cum Larda.
ah, the meanspiritedness of the young. May you all contract a disfiguring disease....
5:43 = 900 lbs
Proving once again that state courts with elected judges are TTT.
Does anyone have details on the EEOC complaint? How is her disability at all relevant to the length of her term?
http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/4513/cfooderof2.jpg
The mind reels at the size of this woman.
I think the Welcome to Las Vegas sign is trademarked. I don't know that she can just photoshop it into a campaign sign for herself.
http://www.halverson4judge.com/index.html
In think the EEOC complaint relates to Halverson's prior petition to overturn her temporary suspension, in part on disability grounds.
The Nevada Supremes were not impressed then either.
wtf 5:50? wtf? did you search for that? oh god, get it out of my brain... my eyes are burning.
I love the smell of Rascals in the morning. It's the smell of...VICTORY!
Leave the bench. Take the cannoli.
Forgive me for stating the obvious, but I think the only thing that she would "run" for is a an 18 oz. filet mignon.
@6:00 I have seen worse.
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m272/shellywould/fat-woman.jpg
Political cartoon from the Las Vegas IJ:
http://bp0.blogger.com/_7_VME45R1Ak/R5JJ4ZQv_nI/AAAAAAAABCA/JfaDPWFqAKQ/s1600-h/judge+halverson+seeks+reelection+500+pound+vegas+judge.gif
I vote that Miley needs to show some skin. I'd throw myself at her feet fo' sho!
Has anyone pulled her CA bar profile?
http://members.calbar.ca.gov/search/member_detail.aspx?x=98146
For some reason, she still has it listed under her maiden name. But more interestingly, she graduated in 1980, but wasn't admitted until 5/81. Presumably, she failed the bar the first time in '80 and had to re-take it in Feb. of '81.
It cracks me up that Judge Halverson has an endorsement from a group named LEAN:
http://www.halverson4judge.com/resources/images/lean.jpg
But no endorsement from groups with more appropriate acronyms, like NOMNOM, or GRAVY
She's... ah... tenacious.
- Dr. Ian Malcolm
@6:44
Note that the linked L.E.A.N. endorsement appears to be stale, dating from her orignal 2006 election bid.
@7:16
She may have been 10% (i.e., 300 lbs) lighter then, so I'll discount the humor value accordingly.
6:44
you twerps are disgusting.
Her campaign song totally should be something by Zeppelin. Maybe even Whole Lotta Love.
5:04 wins the internet.
5:40--for Halverson, the degree was called a Juris "Doctor-ATE."
Those of you getting cheesed about the fat jokes are misdirecting your wrath. Yes, there are people for whom weight struggles are a legitimate issue (i.e., one over which they literally have less control than the average person, due to an unfortunate accident of genetics, etc.) But for someone to be genetically predisposed to be 50 pounds overweight is night-and-day different from someone becoming frighteningly obese. Yes, we do need to get over our body obsession and accept people whose bodies are less than perfect. No, that does NOT mean that looking any way at all is always acceptable. Judge Halverson's severe obesity is a threat to her health and, therefore, to the health of the rest of society. Medical care is a scarce (and expensive) resource. When people like Judge Halverson use up more of those resources, those resources are less available and/or more expensive for everyone else. As someone who, sure, could lose a few pounds, but is decidedly a "healthy" BMI for age/height and who eats reasonably healthy and is not sedentary, I resent that my health care costs are higher because people like Judge Halverson won't exercise the willpower to say "no" to that fifteenth Big Mac.
Shaming may not necessarily be the most effective way to get these people to stop being such a burden on society, but at the very least I think we've earned the right to have some fun at the fatties' expense by virtue of subsidizing their society-destroying lifestyles.
Halverson lost her suit? Damn, I hope she finds it soon -- I really don't want to see pictures of her in her undergarments.
spheres like her are the reason global warming is a problem
can you imagine the moment she realized she couldn't walk anymore?
and then she just went back to eating
5:54, you probably don't know anything about IP law. It's not trademark infringement without reasonable confusion as to the source of the good. No one would think that Halverson was one of Las Vegas's "products."
@8:28:
No, only one of Las Vegas's "best".
See: http://www.halverson4judge.com/bestoflasvegas/
Including her supplied text: " ELIZABETH HALVERSON IS ONE OF THE BEST OF LAS VEGAS ACCORDING TO THE LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL."
(The IJ staff voted her "Most Colorful Character" in its "Best of Las Vegas Edition")
http://www.lvrj.com/bestoflv/people/16823706.html
BTW, does anyone know off had the number of calories (not to mention whole roasted chickens with all the fix’ins) necessary for a 600 pound female to maintain her weight?
Mean people suck...but fat people swallow.
8:42
For sedentary people: Weight x 14 = estimated cal/day
For moderately active people: Weight x 17 = estimated cal/day
For active people: Weight x 20 = estimated cal/day
http://primusweb.com/fitnesspartner/library/weight/calsburned.htm
so 500 lbs x 14 = 7000 cal / day, assuming she's "sedentary"
8:42, right, and that's not trademark infringement for the reason I stated.
- 8:28
Dear 7:52 PM,
You probably are fat too.
Sincerely,
Slightly Fat Summer Associate
you know, it's not a half-bad website she has
Dear Judge Halverson,
You make my rockin' world go 'round.
Sincerely,
Queen
By the way, Lat, the Judge is still faster than your servers.
You may have been a good smuggler, but now you're Bantha fodder.
Slightly Fat,
Are you actually slightly fat, or are you obese? If you're obese, stop wasting time sitting your fat ass in front of a computer. If you're actually only "slightly" fat, just eat a few less donuts a week and you'll be a healthy weight in no time.
In the meantime, stop taking out your frustration on those who refuse to coddle you and make you feel good about your unhealthy eating habits.
People can make fun of Judge Halverson for being obese, but no lawyer seriously familiar with her jurisprudence would ever question her intellect or intellectual ability.
I live in Nevada, have practiced before the good judge, and believe she is one of our best jurists. Word in Democratic circles is that Barack Hussain promised Sen. Reid that he would appoint Judge Halverson to the Ninth Circuit.
Is she overweight? Yes. But she will have life tenure, as an Article III judge, if Sen. Hussain is elected president.
9:31 --- You are a flame. There is no such promise. Liar.
9:31. Even if Sen. Obama had such an arrangement with the Majority Leader, it is unlikely in light of her poor judgment and the lack of professionalism she has shown during the investigations of her professional misconduct.
i call b.s. on the 9th cir. "promise."
i call b.s. on the 9th cir. "promise."
There is no way that Judge Halverson would ever be appointed to the 9th Circuit... there isn't room for her!
ha ha ha !!! Judge Halverson is fat. ha ha ha !!!
That's a waste of a nomination, 9:31, since she might not make it another two years.
I too have heard that Barack Osama Obama wants to "increase" the size of the federal judiciary.
BIG MAMA HALVERSON TO THE 9TH CIRCUIT !!!
9:47,
I believe you meant "waist" of a nomination.
Hussein likes big girlz
Zaftig:
http://static.flickr.com/62/217022967_905d72d36f_o.jpg
Fat Pig:
http://www.hollywoodgrind.com/britney-spears-is-a-fat-pig/
Beach Ball:
http://bp2.blogger.com/_7_VME45R1Ak/SG1waNaXTdI/AAAAAAAABu4/4BfSq8MD5sU/s1600-h/600+POUND,+SCOOTER+BOUND+JUDGE+MUST+STAND+FOR+REELECTION.jpg
I can't believe she's married... clearly her husband (presumably an electrician based on her "local 357 wife" credential) must sleep in a separate bed. I guess he likes his meat tender...
The only thing missing is her party hat:
http://fatchicksinpartyhats.com/part36.shtml
Stop making fun of this woman. It's mean.
Miley may be smiley, she may even be wiley,
but Halverson's got the scooter so please don't boot her.
For all her charm, grace and wits, I hope she wins and beats the skinny b!tch.
We need more color, more life more zeal (recess for 20 the cafeteria's serving veal.
Dear 12:50 am:
Judge Halverson's husband, Ed Halverson (who the Judge likes to refer to as "the Bitch" or "Evil Ed") is an ex-prison felon who Halverson met (and married) while he was on parole following a buglary conviction. Ed has an extensive rap sheet. As far as is publicly known, he is a stay-at-home husband.
http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=LVRB&p_theme=lvrb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=1196AA68EB37A8E0&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM
My monitor fell over from the weight of that picture.
To all that were "impressed" with this whale's oral advocacy skills:
She admitted in argument that she was unfamiliar with the one case that turned out to be completely on-point and dispositive of her constitutional argument. Granted, Gorin doesn't strike me as a particularly well reasoned decision back in 1871, but still. Shouldn't she have, at least, read it and been prepared with a response at oral argument? That is some HLS lawyering right there...
Wednesday, July 9, 2008 4:56 AM:
"This woman" is a public fugure who has trust herself in the limelight at every turn of her short tenure on the bench.
Morever, her every act while a judge virtually begs redicule.
How is this attention "mean"?
RUMOR ALERT (there may well be truth to this one)...
can anyone confirm whether there is truth to the rumors (on this blog and others) that judge halverson will obtain a nod from harry reid for nomination to the 9th circuit? i have read about this here, elsewhere, and have heard lots of grumblings about it around the courthouse. thx.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008 8:49 PM:
In a word: BULLSHIT.
I wish it was true, that is one confirmation hearing I would DEFINITELY tune in to watch (the last being that of Thomas, J, and the Long Dong Silver/Antia Hill (we believe you Anita)) traveling road show.
A Halverson Senate confirmation hearing would be hillarious.
BTW, what would her ABA rating be? Not Qualified to the 30th power?
Having observed her demeanor in her hearing and considering her treatment of others (sarcasm, conceit, etc.), she should be stripped of her citizenship, much less her position.
Just because she's horrifically overwieght doesn't mean it's her fault. It's glands- she ate way too many glands!
its not in her genes at all...."i dont think they make jeans that fit her anyway"..over eating to my knowledge isnt a physical handicap..most handicapped ppl dont choose their handicap i.e. parapalegics,retardation,autism, birth defects,etc. etc. ..this womens 'so called" handicap is loss of control when it comes to food as well as her lack of restraint when it comes to being polite to others which i think she cant because of how she looks and her actions...its no wonder she bacame a judge..she wants to judge ppl the same way they judge her...more or less payback...remember ppl...she was "VOTED" in by the same ppl that ridicule her now because of her weight an demeanor...she was fat and pissy before elected and if it wasnt a problem then..why is it now? Its nothing but a double standard both ways...by her and the ppl that are trying to get her out of office now so lets not point fingers just yet..you never know when you yourself may have a TRUE handicap later in life and decide to take it out on the whole world as well. With that said..it still doesnt mean as a judge she is allowed to treat ppl the way she does and now she will face her peers and be JUDGED herself by ppl who "we the public" decided were qualified to do so" kinda ironic that these same ppl that elected the officials to judge her fate are the same ppl that elected her "the voters/citizens" in the first damn place...lolololol