Editorial: Chief justice is right on judicial oversight

Rose said earlier this week that two or three District Court judges in Clark County aren't working as hard they should be, with judges leaving early in the day or taking excess vacation time. This isn't fair to most of the judges, who diligently go about their jobs every day.

Opponents of a strong chief judge will have a hard time, suggesting that the Supreme Court doesn't know what it's talking about, especially considering that six of the seven Supreme Court justices were at one time District Court judges. And while judges are elected and accountable to the voters, it is important that the judiciary functions as smoothly as possible.

This isn't about messing with a judge's independence. This is an issue about requiring judges to put in full days, five days a week. To allow some judges to work a lot less than the rest hurts the quality of justice that Clark County residents receive since other judges have to pick up the slack, overburdening their schedules. It's time for the Supreme Court to give the chief district judge the authority he needs to make the court run as efficiently as possible.

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