Las Vegas Judge Suspended
A Nevada judge has been suspended from the bench and charged with judicial misconduct for abusing her position, treating staff like personal valets, tainting juries and falling asleep during trials.
The Las Vegas District Court Judge, Elizabeth Halverson, also jeopardized courthouse security by using her own private bodyguards and allowing them to bypass security checks without background clearance mandatory of all court employees.
Elected to the Clark County bench in November, Halverson treated employees like servants and made her bailiff put her shoes on her feet, massage her back and cover her with a blanket for naps. Halverson is obese and uses a motorized scooter to get around as well as oxygen. Court employees say she was nasty and demanded royal treatment.
Last year the controversial judge was actually locked out of her courtroom by the county’s chief judge and, a few months later, a judicial commission suspended her for creating a hostile work environment and causing mistrials in two sexual assault cases by improperly meeting with jurors.