Sunday, July 27, 2014

Case Against Nevada Family Court Judge Steven Jones Cost Commission on Judicial Discipline Over $180k

The Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline spent at least $183,300 — more than three-fourths of its publicly funded fiscal budget in 2014 — pursuing a case against suspended Family Court Judge Steven Jones, according to its executive director.

“It’s outrageous,” Paul Deyhle said Tuesday. “It’s just one case, and it essentially wiped out our entire operating budget for the fiscal year.”

The commission’s budget for July 1, 2013, to June 30 was $240,269.

Deyhle said the Jones case has hindered the commission’s ability to investigate allegations of misconduct against other judges in the state.

“When you have a big case like this and have to take away resources for it, things get backed up,” he said. “There’s just so much we can do.”

The commission suspended Jones with pay Nov. 30, 2012, following his unrelated federal indictment in what federal prosecutors say was a $3 million investment scheme.

Since then, Jones has collected his $200,000 annual salary in all but three months. He has earned an estimated $266,000 and can look forward to receiving another $100,000 by the time his term on the bench is up at the end of the year.

The commission’s investigation of Jones became public in late December 2012, when it filed a formal statement of charges against the judge accusing him of mis­handling a romantic relationship with a prosecutor who appeared before him.

Deyhle said the panel has spent more than $183,300 investigating Jones over the past several years, but has only tracked its money in the case from the start of the 2014 fiscal year to April 15.

The money went to pay support staff, investigators and two special prosecutors to file and try the charges in front of the seven-member judicial commission, Deyhle said. Funds also were spent fighting legal efforts by Jones all the way to the Nevada Supreme Court to delay the disciplinary proceedings.

The commission also had to foot the bill for two public hearings — a week-long one in December to hear witnesses and evidence against Jones and a day-long proceeding in February to hand out punishment, Deyhle said.

At the February hearing the commission suspended Jones without pay for three months, finding that he had violated professional rules of conduct during his relationship with Lisa Willardson, the late former deputy district attorney.

Full Article and Source:
Case Cost Judicial Discipline Commission Over $180k

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

So let's summarize: sleep with the prosecutor, she kills herself, you go laughing off.

Bankrupt the state judicial ethics committee, continue to collect an oversized, unearned paycheck.

Delay, deny, until they die.

And there's NOTHING anyone can do to put a stop to it?

How about just hearing the case and getting this farce over with, once and for all?

StandUp said...

It's worth it to get him, but why does it really cost that much?

Berta4949 said...

it's a matter of principle with these judges who hide under the cloak and try to get away with anything and everything. they all play games with their friends who they're going to appoint to be conservators ad litems etc.

Each state has a problem with the good ole boys club when it comes to probate bullshit.

If the judicial immunity was taken away from judges then there could be more accountability.I believe there is a law that passed in Connecticut a few years ago concerning conservator or guardian accountability now it's time to have all judges have accountability so they can no longer hide behind their cloaks like wolves watching their prey.

Corrupticut is no stranger to corruption...We the people have the power to make a change when it is time to vote these scum out of office!