Commisison to consider interim justice

Douglas County commissioners are to consider a contract with Steven D. McMorris to serve as temporary East Fork Justice of the Peace after the resignation of Judge Jim EnEarl.

McMorris, who served 20 years as Tahoe Township justice, is to be paid $9,881.73 for the 30-day contract.

McMorris was elected Tahoe Township justice from 1981-2001. He also was Douglas County district attorney and deputy district attorney from 1974-79 and school district legal counsel from 1978-1992.

McMorris, a Genoa resident, is a senior justice of the peace.

He has served as a special master-arbitration commissioner with Ninth Judicial District Court since 1992.

He is a member of the Nevada and California state bar associations.

If a new justice of the peace hasn't been appointed by county commissioners in 30 days, the contract may be extended.

EnEarl's last day is Friday.

Applicants for the job have until Aug. 20 to submit letters of interest to commissioners who will select the new justice to serve until EnEarl's six-year term expires in 2012 and the post is up for election.

The position pays $103,417.60 a year.

So far, the vacancy has drawn a half dozen applicants.

Human Resources Manager Darcy Worms is asking commissioners Thursday how they want to proceed with appointing the new justice.

Options include having commissioners verbally statie their recommendations from among the applicants until a motion is made, seconded and passed by the board.

That procedure was used to appoint the county clerk-treasurer and recorder.

The board also could decide that a pre-determined number of applicants will be interviewed with each commissioner ranking their top three choices.

The top applicants would be interviewed by the full board at a special meeting.

Whatever option commissioners choose, deliberations and discussions must be done in public with public comment.

Worms advised the board that certain questions cannot be asked of judicial appointees such as how they might decide a case.

She said prior to the interviews, the district attorney's office will provide a list of the kind of statements the Nevada Supreme Court rules and code of judicial conduct allow judicial nominees to make.

ON THE WEB

East Fork Justice of the Peace application

www.douglascountyhr.com