Justice of the Peace Dan Ward has until May 31 to complete a 30-day suspension without pay imposed by the Nevada Judicial Discipline Commission last month, according to a formal document made public by the panel on Friday.
The suspension will consist of 30 working days where the judge will not be paid, and is not allowed to use vacation or other accumulated leave.
The document, signed by commission Chairman Steve Chappell, states Ward "must know that he came as close as any judge can to being removed from office. The sheer number and diversity of violations, spread over a prolonged period of time, suggests that whatever (Ward) may have learned during formal classes he attended over a long period of time since he took the bench was either forgotten or ignored to a large degree."
Ward admitted to 107 ethics violations in a negotiated settlement with the judicial commission Jan. 18.
He must also take two ethics courses "on his own dime" and not be permitted to use leave or vacation days. The first is a six-hour class offered by the State Bar of Nevada in April. The commission report states Ward must get permission from the bar to attend the course because he is not a lawyer.
The second two-day course is offered by the National Judicial College in Reno in October.
Ward must pay for both classes, including tuition, books, travel expenses, meals and materials that would be needed.
The commission's decision states commissioners decided against a four-year probationary period, in part because all the sanctions imposed must be completed before the November election.
If Ward chooses to seek re-election and loses, the issue of probation would be moot, the document states.
Ward did not return a telephone call seeking comment.
Ward admitted to the following violations as outlined in the commission document:
• Failure to disqualify himself in a criminal case involving Michelle Harrison, his son's girlfriend.
• Providing information to his son, Sean Ward, and Harrison about their drug use that he received from another defendant. He did not inform the district attorney about the information or conversations.
• He contacted state investigators with information about allegations regarding his son and Harrison.
• He bought a car from a bail bond company that was the subject of a forfeiture hearing he presided over. The judge still has not paid for the car, telling the commission Dave Banovich has refused to accept payment. The commission suggests Ward find a way to complete the transaction or "he would be wise to divest himself of the asset he gained under a cloud of ethical impropriety."
• That he instructed a Nevada Highway Patrol trooper to perform additional investigation in a fatal accident case without telling the district attorney's office. He also delayed issuing a summons in the case without any legal reason.
• He delayed a sexual assault hearing for a friend to try to keep a Lahontan Valley News reporter from covering the case.
• He acted disrespectfully to a lawyer and personally issued a protective order without anyone requesting it.
• He fixed a ticket for the wife of a sheriff's deputy and for a clerk working in the justice court. The deputy's wife had paid the ticket but Ward instructed his court staff to issue a refund, saying it was "another stupid ticket."
• He admitted he contacted a trial witness to discuss a case without notifying the defendant's attorney or the district attorney.
• He used his influence to get his son out of jail on his own recognizance, and discussed with Judge Stephen Grund what conditions should be imposed on the younger Ward's release from jail.
• He did not excuse himself from a DUI case where the defendant was driving a vehicle registered to Ward and Sean Ward. The judge ordered that a towing bill be paid before he sentenced the defendant.
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