Deborah Schumacher and Kris Pickering
Linda Bell v. Robert Spretnak
Michael Villani v. Bruce Gale
Doug Smith and Josh Kunis
Elissa Cadish and Ben Childs

Sheriff v. Bucham
Landreth v. Malik
In re: William M. and Marques B.

10:00 AM -- D'NAL2 VS. HARBORS, LLC (48519)

10:30 AM -- OUANBENGBOUNE (VANNASONE) VS. STATE (44763)
The defendant was convicted of first-degree murder and robbery in a trial before Judge Glass. He was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole. I do not know the issues presented. The Las Vegas Sun provides this article about the verdict and this article about the sentencing hearing.

11:30 AM -- BERRY (DURAND) VS. STATE (49709)
It appears that the defendant was convicted, pursuant to a guilty plea, of the gross misdemeanor offense of conspiracy to possess a document used to establish false ID. His 12 month sentence was imposed concurrently with the sentence imposed on a different conviction. He did not receive any days credit for time served at the sentencing hearing, but was later given 365 days credit for time served. I have no guess as to the issue presented.

Michael Villani
website - www.judgevillani.com
current position - district court judge
Contribution and Expense Report

In blow to Bush, judge orders 17 Guantanamo detainees freed. NYTimes 10/8/08

Alleging fraud, authorities raid voter group. LVRJ 10/8/08

Photo: here comes the judge. LVRJ 10/8/08

Clark County report: Child suicides, accidental deaths rise. LVRJ 10/8/08

Belt-tightening puts crimp on officers' monitoring of felons. LVSun 10/8/08

Judge: attacker 'gleeful.' LVRJ 10/7/08

Editorial: Simpson case is far from finished. LVRJ 10/7/08

Judicial candidates to square off: Elko's most intriguing race heats up with televised debate. Elko Daily 10/7/08

Donald Mosley
website - www.judgemosley.com
current position - district court judge
Contribution and Expense Report
myspace video:
Don Mosley commercial

Officials defend handling of gun crimes. LVRJ 10/6/08

Violence, yes, but soon it won't all be 'domestic.' LVSun 10/6/08

Palace station robbery: audiotapes convicted O.J. LVRJ 10/6/08

Simpson in isolation, focuses on future. LVRJ 10/6/08

Hundreds of prison inmates help raise money for cancer cure. Nevada Appeal 10/6/08

Officials hope new DUI court reduces fatalities. RGJ 10/6/08

Tuesday October 7 - Nevada Supreme Court en banc oral arguments (schedule not yet released)
Tuesday October 7 - U.S. Supreme Court hears arguments in Herring v. U.S. (supression based upon faulty info. from another law enforcement agency), Arizona v. Gant (warrantless search of a car whose occupant was recently arrested and threat to safety requirement), Kennedy v. Plan Adm. for Dupont Savings (divorcing spouses and ERISA).

Wednesday October 8 - U.S. Supreme Court hears argument in Winter v. NRDC (navy and whales), Summers v. Earth Island Institute (forest service regulations), Crawford v. Nashville (Ttitle VII and retaliation in investigation of sexual harassment claims)

Thursday October 9 - Nevada Supreme Court opinion release day

Michelle Leavitt
website - www.leavittforjudge.com
current position - District court judge
Contribution and Expense Report
LVRJ 2008 Judicial Performance Evaluation

Supreme Court orders judge to hold rehearing. LVRJ 10/4/08

Self-help center would aid amateur civil lawyers. LVSun 10/5/08

Prison biomass plant up and running after difficult start. Nevada Appeal 10/5/08

Frederick: voter fraud in Las Vegas? LVRJ 10/5/08

Search legality challenged in polygamous sect case. LVRJ 10/5/08

Defense in sting case claims agents used racial slur. LVSun 10/4/08

Despite ruling, detainee cases facing delays. NYTimes 10/4/08

Political warfare in Missouri led to prosecutor's firing. Washington Post 10/3/08

Editorial: Court in session. LVRJ 10/5/08

Justices return to less meaty docket. NYTimes 10/4/08

Palace station robbery: O.J. Simpson guilty. LVRJ 10/4/08

Smith: OJ Simpson a mediocre criminal who committed a stupid crime. LVRJ 10/5/08

Simpson's jail conditions far from Miami luxury. LVRJ 10/5/08

Many start contrasts as Simpson is convicted. NYTimes 10/4/08

For O.J. Simpson: A different time, place and verdict. LATimes 10/5/08

Vegas jury convicts Simpson. Washington Post 10/4/08

O.J. Simpson jurors say facts alone influenced verdict. LATimes 10/5/08

Via the Las Vegas Sun, the Simpson jury instructions are available here.

Knipes v. State - The Court holds that hearings to determine the admissibility of juror questions must be conducted on the record. The failure to do so, however, is nonconstitutional trial error and is subject to harmless error review under NRS 178.598. In reaching this conclusion, the Court notes the "growing intolerance for off-the-record rulings generally" and also notes the concerns of ensuring meaningful appellate review and facilitating the effecient administration of justice. In addition to finding that district courts must conduct Flores hearings on the record, the Court also finds that a district court abuses its discretion if it allows juror questions to be asked without providing counsel an opportunity to object to the questions outside the presence of the jury.

Davidson v. State - "In this appeal, we consider whether the district court can change a jury's verdict from not guilty to guilty for a criminal charge based on a purported clerical error after the jury has been discharged. We also address a clerical error in the judgment of conviction that precludes habitual criminal sentencing on one of the battery convictions.
Regarding the verdict, we conclude that the Double Jeopardy Clause prohibits the district court from changing the jury's verdict from not guilty to guilty for a criminal charge after the jury has been discharged, even if the change is only to correct a purported clerical error. Therefore, the district court in this case erred by changing the verdict for the robbery charge at issue from not guilty to guilty. Consequently, we reverse one of the robbery convictions.
Regarding the judgment and sentence for battery, we conclude that the judgment of conviction erroneously treats one of the battery convictions (count four) as a felony when the jury returned a finding of guilt for a misdemeanor on that count. As a result, the district court erred in imposing a habitual criminal sentence for that count because NRS 207.010 authorizes a habitual criminal sentencing enhancement for convictions of crimes involving fraud or intent to defraud, of petit larceny, or of a felony. We therefore remand for the district court to amend the judgment of conviction to show that count four is a misdemeanor and to impose a lawful sentence for that count."

Cox v. Dist. Ct. - judicial sales of real property, collateral attacks and temporary restraining orders.

M.C. Multi-Family Dev. v. Crestdale Assocs. - intangible property, such as a contractor's license, may be the subject of a claim in tort for conversion.

The issue presented: May a Nevada judge preside in a case involving substantive challenges to the validity of a proposed statute changing or an existing statute prescribing the rate for the tax on gross gaming revenue given the judge is related to persons who are not parties to the litigation but who are involved in certain transactions with or hold certain property interests associated with the operations of a licensed non-restricted gaming licensee?

The short answer: Yes; unless the judge knows that the affected family member has more than de minimis interest that could be substantially affected by the proceeding.

See the opinion for the analysis.

Simpson jury hears sides wrap up case . LVRJ 10/3/08

Judge Berates Prosecutors in Trial of Senator. NYTimes 10/3/08

Deliberations to Begin for Simpson 13 Years After a Murder Acquittal. NYTimes 10/3/08

Appeals Court Overturns 2 Terrorism Convictions. NYTimes 10/3/08

William Kephart
website - www.kephartforjudge.com
current position - deputy district attorney
Contribution and Expense Report

Jessie Walsh
website - www.judgejessiewalsh.com
current position - District Court Judge
Contribution and Expense Report