Search for Fondi's replacement starts

Nevada attorneys interested in retiring judge Mike Fondi's job have until July 13 to apply.

Postcards have been sent to all Nevada attorneys inviting applications to fill the Carson District Court seat which Fondi will vacate in August.

Linda Dill of the Administrative Office of the Courts said the Commission on Judicial Selection will interview the applicants in the first two weeks of August and pick three top candidates. Those three names will be forwarded to Gov. Kenny Guinn, who will make the final selection.

Applicants must be licensed lawyers at least 25 years old and a Nevada resident for two years or more. They also must be "qualified electors" - citizens in good standing.

Dill said the appointee can be a resident of any part of Nevada.

Because the deadline for candidates to file for this year's elections has already passed, the individual selected will serve two years until the 2002 general elections.

Carson District Attorney Noel Waters and his predecessor, Bill Maddox, who is a former U.S. Attorney for Nevada, have said they will apply.

Former state senator Ernie Adler says he is interested in the job as is Tim Terry, who ran against Fondi in 1996.

The commission consists of six regular members - three lay people appointed by the governor and three lawyers appointed by the Bar Association. When a district judge is picked, two temporary members are added who must be residents of the district with the vacancy. One is picked by the governor and the other by the Bar Association.

The First Judicial District includes Carson City and Storey County. It has two district judgeships.