NV SUPREME COURT RULES AGAINST GOV CORRUPTION

Feb 26, 2024

Over the past several years, groups like Veterans in Politics (VIP) and other family court activists have spent their time observing and reporting the serious issues with Clark County Family Courts. Their efforts were so successful at exposing corruption in the Family Court system judges lost re-election in many cases. VIP made such an impact that the Family Court Chief Judge changed public access rules and started closing their court rooms to the public.

Clark Court Court Family Judges are elected, so public access to court rooms provides the public with an opportunity to make informed decisions about which judge to retain or replace. And that is why many judges fear cameras and public access in their courtrooms.

Public access to court rooms is also protected by the U.S. Constitution.Closing court rooms to the public also violates the public’s First Amendment right to access court hearings.

That rule change was struck down by the Nevada Supreme Court this month after the ACLU sued on behalf of Alexander Falconi, who created the Our Nevada Judges news website. www.ournevadajudges.com is a nonprofit group that works to provide transparency at every level of the Nevada judicial system.

The Nevada Court ruling stated

“We acknowledge that there is an interest in protecting litigants’ privacy rights in family law proceedings, as those proceedings apply wholly to their private lives. However, a litigant’s privacy interests do not automatically overcome the press’s and the public’s right to access court proceedings.”

Justices Lidia Stiglich, Ron Parraguirre, and Linda Bell dissented. They argued the NV Supreme Court should respect the laws passed by the legislature allowing the closing of Family Courts.They never mentioned the Constitutional violations they pose.

But the 6th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution ensures that defendants in criminal trials receive fair treatment and protection against arbitrary actions by the government. BTW, a Family Court judge can take your money, your home, and your kids and put you in jail. All without a jury. VIP has documented numerous abuses by judges in Family Courts over the past several years. And that’s why the Family Court changed its rules to keep them out.

This NV Supreme Court ruling was based on the 1st Amendment and the press i.e public’s right to access court hearings, which is necessary to enforce the 6th Amendment.