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James Todd Russell
Ballotpedia provides comprehensive election coverage of the 100 largest cities in America by population as well as mayoral, city council, and district attorney election coverage in state capitals outside of the 100 largest cities. This judge is outside of that coverage scope and does not receive scheduled updates.
James Russell is a judge of the First District Court of Nevada. He joined the court in January 2007.[1] He ran unopposed for re-election in 2014, winning a new term that expires on January 3, 2021.[2][3]
Elections
2014
See also: Nevada judicial elections, 2014
Russell ran for re-election to the First District Court.
Primary: He was elected without opposition in the primary on June 10, 2014.
[3][4]
Education
Russell graduated from Carson High School in 1965. He received a B.S. degree in business administration from the University of Nevada-Reno in 1969. He graduated from the University of Pacific, McGeorge School of Law in 1974.[5]
Military service
Russell served as a 1st Lieutenant in the United States Army from 1969-1971.[5]
Career
- 2007-2021: Judge, First Judicial District Court
- 1976-2006: Attorney in private practice
- 1975-1976: Deputy attorney general, State of Nevada
- 1974-1975: Law clerk, Nevada Supreme Court[5]
Noteworthy cases
Contest-of-election lawsuit on behalf of Republican electors (2020)
On November 17, 2020, Attorney Jesse Binnall, representing six would-be Republican electors for President Trump, filed a contest-of-election lawsuit. The lawsuit alleged voter fraud and ballot irregularities and sought to either declare Trump the winner of Nevada or nullify Nevada's presidential election results. On December 4, 2020, Judge Russell dismissed the lawsuit, stating, "'Contestants did not prove ... that illegal votes were cast and counted that should have been rejected during the signature verification process, or legal votes were not counted that should have been accepted' in numbers that would have swayed the outcome."[6] The Nevada Republican Party appealed the dismissal. On December 8, 2020, the Nevada Supreme Court unanimously affirmed Russell's original ruling, effectively rejecting the appeal.[6][7][8]
Nevada Sales Tax Increase for Public Schools Initiative (2022)
In February 2020, BizPac, the political action committee of the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce, challenged the ballot language submitted by initiative petitioners. The plaintiffs argued, "The initiative petition at issue in this case would raise Nevada’s sales tax rate to the highest statewide average sales tax in the nation. Yet the initiative’s description of effect does not tell voters that. It does not even tell voters what the new sales tax rate will be." On March 13, 2020, Judge James T. Russell ruled in favor of the plaintiffs and issued an injunction requiring the initiative petitioners to resubmit the ballot summary to include the proposed total sales tax rate.[9]
On August 6, 2020, the Nevada Supreme Court upheld the Carson County District Court ruling and affirmed Judge Russell's authority to change the ballot description.[10]
See also
External links
- Carson City, NV, "James Todd Russell biography"
- Ballotpedia, "Nevada judge declines to block sports arena initiative," February 4, 2011
- Las Vegas Sun, "Kate Marshall says review of judge who failed to disclose potential conflict in special election court battle likely," August 5, 2011
- Las Vegas Review-Journal "Judge tweaks, approves Nevada redistricting maps" October 27, 2011
Footnotes
- ↑ Nevada Judiciary, "Dates of Office," accessed March 30, 2015
- ↑ Judicial selection in Nevada
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Nevada Secretary of State, "2014 Filed Judicial Candidates," accessed April 2, 2015
- ↑ Silver State Election Night Results, "2014 Primary Election Results - Judicial," accessed June 11, 2014
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Carson City Website, "Judge Russell bio," accessed April 2, 2015
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 AP, "Nevada GOP to appeal judge’s refusal to nullify Biden win," December 4, 2020
- ↑ U.S. News, "State Judge Rejects Bid to Nullify Biden Election in Nevada," December 4, 2020
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Nevada Supreme Court rejects Trump campaign’s appeal to overturn Biden’s win," December 9, 2020
- ↑ The Nevada Independent, "Judge blocks teacher union proposal to raise sales tax, says petition needs to be reworded," March 13, 2020
- ↑ The Nevada Independent, "Supreme Court rejects challenge to teacher union-backed sales tax initiative petition," August 6, 2020
Federal courts:
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: District of Nevada • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: District of Nevada
State courts:
Nevada Supreme Court • Nevada Court of Appeals • Nevada District Courts • Nevada Justice Courts • Nevada Municipal Courts • Clark County Family Court, Nevada
State resources:
Courts in Nevada • Nevada judicial elections • Judicial selection in Nevada
