Comments sought on district court judge applicants

The public is invited to submit comment through Nov. 16 on seven applicants seeking appointment to complete the vacancy in the Ninth Judicial District Court created by the retirement of Judge Dave Gamble.Gamble’s retirement is effective Jan. 6. He has served for 25 years, longer than any sitting district court judge in Nevada.His replacement, to be appointed by Gov. Brian Sandoval, will serve out Gamble’s term which expires in December 2014. The applicant must seek election in November 2014 to retain the seat.The applicants are:• Caren Cafferata-Jenkins, 54, Carson City, Nevada Commission on Ethics;• James R. Hales, 53, Minden, Rowe Hales Yturbide LLP;• Mark B. Jackson, 49, Gardnerville, Douglas County District attorney; • Mark J. Lenz, 61, Reno, Piscevich & Fenner;• Marc P. Picker, 55, Reno, Marc Picker, Esq.;• Gina C. Session, 54, Carson City, Office of the Attorney General;• Nathan Tod Young, 54, Minden, Law Offices of Nathan Tod Young.Picker and Session are also seeking appointment to the Second Judicial District.The next step is for the Nevada Commission on Judicial Selection to conduct background investigations, accept public comment and interview the applicants.The commission will submit three finalists to Sandoval for the appointment.Interviews with the applicants are scheduled Dec. 10-11 in Minden, and are open to the public. A comment period will be provided before and after the interviews for those who wish to address the commission about the applicants’ qualifications.Written comments and reference letters are confidential. The commission is chaired by Supreme Court Chief Justice Michael Cherry.Members include:• Ann Bersi, Ph.D., former deputy district attorney in the civil division of the Clark County District Attorney’s Office (state bar appointee);• G. Fred Boyd, Reno, small business consultant (governor appointee);• Valerie Cooney, Carson City, Volunteer Attorneys of Rural Nevada executive director (state bar appointee);• Jeffrey Gilbert, Henderson, veteran gaming executive (governor appointee);• Jasmine Mehta, Reno, deputy Nevada attorney general representing the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection, (state bar appointee);• Leslie M. Williams of Schurz in Mineral County, former economic development coordinator for the Walker River Paiute Tribe (governor appointee); For district court vacancies, two temporary members are appointed from the judicial district where the vacancy occurs, a nonattorney by the governor and an attorney by the state bar, bringing the commission membership to nine. Sandoval appointed Gail Jaquish of Stateline, the founder of a jury research firm that provides strategy development on high-risk cases nationwide.The State Bar of Nevada appointed Teresa Rankin, of Minden, who has been an attorney since 1980 and practices in Carson City. INFORMATION: Written comments about the applicants should be submitted by Nov. 16 to:Robin SweetSecretary, Commission on Judicial SelectionNevada Supreme Court201 S. Carson St.Carson City, NV 89701Applications are posted on the Supreme Court website: www.nevadajudiciary.usClick on “Commissions and Committees, then “Commission on Judicial Selection.”