Metropolitan News-Enterprise

 

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

 

Page 1

 

Lavin Named to Special Panel for Election Day Issues

 

By a MetNews Staff Writer

 

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Luis Lavin has been named to a special panel of judges who will hear any election-related disputes that arise after local courthouses have closed today, a state courts spokesperson said yesterday.

Lavin, along with Sacramento Superior Court Judge Lloyd Connelly and retired Santa Clara Superior Court judge Leslie C. Nichols, have been specially assigned to sit as judges of 46 superior courts—including the Los Angeles Superior Court—that have agreed to participate in the program. Each of the other 12 courts—the Alameda, Butte, Kern, Lassen, Mono, Plumas, Placer, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Sonoma, and Ventura superior courts—has assigned one of its own judicial officers to hear after-hours elections disputes, the AOC said in a release.

The AOC said that “if a voter or other individual or entity concludes after the superior court closes that immediate court action is needed to avoid irreparable harm, the voter or entity should telephone or visit the office of the local registrar of voters,” who will either assist the voter in obtaining resolution or “take appropriate action to contact court officials.”

The AOC also suggested that those seeking ex parte relief review rules 3.1200-3.1207 of the California Rules of Court.

Requests for after-hours judicial assistance are to be forwarded by the registrar to AOC staff, who “will route any such requests either to the one of the judges on the panel or to a local judge as appropriate.”

The AOC also explained:

“If a panel judge is handling the matter and a hearing is needed, it will be conducted by telephone using a reserved conference line. AOC staff will work with the registrar of voters to ensure all necessary parties are in attendance and any documentary evidence is forwarded to the assigned judge. If a local judge is handling the matter, that judge will advise the registrar of voters and parties of the procedure.”

All three members of the panel have experience with elections.

Lavin has been a Los Angeles Superior Court judge since 2001, when he was appointed by then-Gov. Gray Davis. At the time of his appointment, he was director of enforcement and general counsel for the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission, which enforces the city’s campaign finance, lobbying, and conflict-of-interest laws.

Connelly has been a judge since 1993. Before that he served 10 years in the state Assembly and eight on the Sacramento City Council.

Nichols, a former Santa Clara Superior Court presiding judge, was mayor of Mountain View prior to his appointment to the court by then-Gov. George Deukmejian in 1984.

 

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