Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Three names considered to replace Judge McGroarty

Three attorneys with judicial experience are on the short list for appointment to the District Court bench in Clark County.

The Commission on Judicial Selection forwarded three names - Tim Williams, 50; Susan Johnson, 46; and D. Lanny Waite, 54 - to Gov. Kenny Guinn as its recommendations to fill the seat vacant because of the retirement of District Judge John McGroarty. The new judge will preside over civil cases.

Guinn is expected to make the appointment in the next month.

Williams and Johnson are both private attorneys who have served in various capacities as pro tem judges or arbitrators. Both were on the short list for previous open court seats. Waite is a private attorney, hearing master and, for the last 19 years, justice of the peace in Moapa Valley.

Williams is the past president of the Nevada Trial Lawyers Association. He earned his law degree from Ohio Northern University, has 22 years of experience in civil litigation and has served on the District Court Arbitration Panel, as a District Court judge pro tempore and as a private arbitrator and mediator, overseeing more than 800 cases.

Williams works with the District Court's Short Trial Program, a program created in 2002 to provide an alternative to civil lawsuits that don't qualify for mandatory court-administered arbitration.

Williams said the program has "been a phenomenal success" and saved time and money.

Although Williams said he will wait until Guinn makes his decision on his nomination, he said he "will most likely" run for the newly created Department 24 seat if he isn't appointed.

"It's one of the most important elected positions in the nonpartisan part of elections because at some point in everyone's life here in Clark County, they will be affected by the civil or criminal justice system," Williams said. "I want to give back to the community by bringing my skills to this important position."

Johnson believes District Court is the next natural step in her 21-year career.

"I enjoy the law and resolving cases," Johnson said. "I really feel this is the natural progression for what I have done in my career, and it's time for me to give back to the community in the role of a judge."

A graduate of the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law, Johnson said during her first eight years practicing law in Clark County she handled the defense in insurance and civil rights cases.

In 1992 she opened her own practice, handling mostly personal injury and family law cases.

Johnson has also served as a Short-Trial Program judge, Las Vegas Justice Court judge pro tempore, an arbitrator chosen in more than 500 cases, a mediator in 20 cases and an alternative child support hearing master.

Johnson said the increasing civil caseload in Clark County requires the continuation of alternative resolution programs.

Johnson's philosophy is simple: "Resolve the small cases and get the big cases into the courtroom.

"If you resolve the case on the early end it frees up time on the back end," Johnson said.

Johnson is currently a candidate for the newly created District Court Department 22 seat. She said if she's appointed she will focus on being retained.

Waite has served the past 19 years as not only a Moapa Valley justice of the peace, but also is an attorney handling civil cases, is a juvenile hearing master, coroner's inquest hearing officer and special hearings officer for the university system in disciplinary matters.

Nevada law provides that a private attorney who also is a rural judge can continue to practice law as long as none of the cases appear before another justice of the peace in Nevada.

Although Waite understands his caseload in rural Moapa Valley may not mirror that of justice of the peace in a bigger court, he said his role as a judge is often exercised just as much outside of the courtroom.

"I can't go to the ball game, store or church because everyone knows you and they all know your phone number," Waite said. "Everyone also has an issue or a question for you as a judge, and you have to be accessible at all times to everyone.

"So although the courts in more populated areas have many more times the amount of cases I do, I probably spend more time with the people. Trust me, it's a full-time job."

Waite served as president of the Nevada Judges Association in 1993 and as the Clark County lower court representative on the State Judicial Council for 16 years.

If Waite is not appointed to the bench, he will not run for one of the open seats up for grabs in November, because he's in the midst of an election year in Moapa Valley.

archive