Wednesday, Jan. 27, 1999 | 10:29 a.m.
CARSON CITY -- Nineteen attorneys, including former District Judge Don Chairez, who resigned to run for Congress, have applied to replace District Judges Myron Leavitt and Nancy Becker, who were elected to the Nevada Supreme Court.
And 22 applications were submitted to succeed Family Court Judge Gary Redmon, who was elected to District Court.
The deadline for submitting applications was Monday and the state Judicial Selection Commission released the names Tuesday.
The commission, headed by Chief Justice Robert Rose, will meet the week of Feb. 15 in Las Vegas to interview the applicants. It will recommend three people for each vacancy. Gov. Kenny Guinn will make the final selections.
Four lawyers applied for all three vacant positions: Robert Dorsey, 68, Sandra Pomrenze, 49, Kevin Utterback, 47, and Michael Van, 40, all in private practice in Las Vegas.
Chairez was a district judge but quit in the summer to run for Congress on the Republican ticket. He was defeated by Democrat Shelley Berkley 79,315 to 73,540. Chairez is facing a possible fine now from the secretary of state's office for failing to file proper campaign documents.
He applied only to succeed Becker in Department 2, but the 15 other candidates who filed applications for Department 2 also are seeking the job in Department 12.
The others who applied are: William Freedman, 70, a private attorney; Stephen L. George, 35, deputy city attorney in Las Vegas; Joseph W. Houston, II, 52; Thomas L. Leen, 56, legal consultant to the Clark County district attorney's office; James C. Mahan, 55, a private attorney; and Victor Miller, 45, justice of the peace and municipal judge in Boulder City.
Others applying for both Departments 2 and 12 are E. Leif Reid, 30, assistant U.S. attorney; Abbi Silver, 34, chief deputy district attorney; Melodie Swanson, 41; Las Vegas Municipal Judge Valorie Vega, 43; and Laurence J. Weinsteen, 31, a private attorney.
Those applying only for Department 12 are Allan Earl, 57, a private attorney; former District Attorney George Holt, 62; and Mark Wood, 45, deputy district attorney in Clark County.
Holt has also submitted an application to be considered for the Family Court vacancy.
Others applying for Family Court in Department H are Karl Armstrong, 41, of the University and Community College System of Nevada; Sylvia Beller, 45, juvenile referee for the Family Court; Jennifer Henry, 32, guardianship-discovery commissioner for the District Court; and private attorneys Kendal Sue Bird, 34; Lona Groover, 37; Donald Haight, 50; and Lizzie Hatcher, 44.
Others seeking the job on the Family Court are Elizabeth Kolkoski, 55, elder rights attorneys for the state Division of Aging; and private attorneys Charles Hoskin, 35; John Howard, 51; Robert Kurth Jr., 31; Thomas Kurtz, 47; Stephen Minagil, 47; Gayle Nathan, 45; Randall Pike, 43; Thomas Ritchie Jr., 36; and Michael Root, 42.
Houston, Mahan, Pomrenze, Swanson, Groover, Haight and Pike all were defeated in election bids for the court last year.
Applicants have submitted answers to 48 questions on their education, law practice, business and community involvement, professional and personal conduct and health.
The commission said it welcomes written comments on the qualifications of the applicants by Feb. 10. Comments should be sent to Karen Kavanau, director of the Administrative Office of the Court, Supreme Court Building, 201 South Carson St., Carson City, Nev., 89710.
The commission said also nine attorneys have applied to succeed Washoe County District Judge Deborah Agosti, who was elected to the Nevada Supreme Court.
Sun reporter Bill Gang contributed to this story.
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