WDCR 2

1. All civil and criminal cases shall be randomly assigned except as otherwise provided by these rules.

2. The district judges shall elect from among the general jurisdiction division and family court division judges a chief judge for a term of 2 years. The chief judge is the presiding judge as referred to in NRS 3.025 and the chief judge referred to in Supreme Court Rule 8.

3. Election of the chief judge shall be by secret ballot at the regular December meeting of judges. Nomination shall likewise be made and closed at the November meeting. The term of the chief judge shall commence the first Monday of January in even years. Election shall be by majority vote. The chief judge may be removed by motion made at any regular meeting and a two-thirds vote of the judges at the next regular meeting.

4. The chief judge may be, or may appoint, the presiding judge of the division of his or her jurisdiction and shall appoint a presiding judge of the remaining division. The presiding judge or judges shall serve at the pleasure of the chief judge and shall perform such duties as are delegated by the chief judge.

5. The chief judge shall supervise the court administrator and presiding judge(s). The chief judge shall appoint committees of the court. The chief judge shall preside over all judges meetings and shall speak for the court on matters therein approved by the judges. The chief judge shall represent the court in its relations with other agencies of the government, the bar, the general public and the news media.

6. The chief judge shall supervise caseflow management, assign overflow trials and other overflow matters from the other judges and shall assist the other judges who request assistance in disposition of their caseload within the court by obtaining senior judges or other sitting judges in other districts within the state. The chief judge shall be the arbitrator in resolving conflicts between judges on calendaring and case assignment and procedural policy disputes. The caseloads of the chief judge and the presiding judge of the family division shall be reduced by 20 percent. The chief judge shall be responsible for compilation and distribution of statistics of the court.

7. The chief judge may assign one or more district judges to act temporarily as a judge or judges of the family court, if the caseload of the family court so requires or if for any reason a judge of the family court is unable to act.

8. The district court administrator shall be selected by the court and is responsible for the administration of the rules, policies and directives of the district court. In addition to the duties prescribed below, the district court administrator shall be denominated the clerk of the court and shall perform all the statutory and other duties assigned to that office. Subject to the direction of the chief judge acting on behalf of the district judges, the district court administrator shall:

(a) Supervise the assistant court administrator, family division administrator, jury commissioner and other officers and employees of or serving the district court, except for the staff of each judge;

(b) Supervise the office of the court clerk and the processing of all pleadings and papers related to court business and the court clerks;

(c) Direct the implementation and operation of a court interpreter program;

(d) Plan, organize and direct the budgetary, and fiscal operations of the district court;

(e) Plan for, organize, hire, train, and supervise all personnel deemed necessary by the district court to adequately conduct the operations of the district court, except for the staff of each judge;

(f) Monitor a system of internal controls which includes payroll, purchasing, accounts payable, accounts receivable, information systems and inventory along with all other fiscal aspects of the district court, including adjudication, administration, family mediation services, and jury services;

(g) Expedite movement of the court calendars and coordinate and monitor automated case management systems including, but not limited to, the development of integrated data entry systems;

(h) Supervise preparation and submission of reports and activities of the court to state, regional and local authorities as required;

(i) Determine statistics to be gathered for the statewide uniform system of judicial records and manage the flow of information through and about the court;

(j) Direct research, evaluation and monitoring and propose new and revised policies as necessary to improve court operations;

(k) Coordinate the calendars and activities of judges visiting from other jurisdictions and of hearing officers or masters assigned for specific purposes;

(l) Represent the court on regional, statewide, judicial and justice system coordinating councils, conferences, conventions and committees as assigned by the chief judge;

(m) Handle public information and liaison with other government executive, legislative and judicial agencies in the community as assigned by the chief judge;

(n) Perform such other functions and duties as may be assigned by the chief judge.