Name: WILLIAM G. ROGERS
Age:60
Address: P.O.Box 819, Dayton, Nevada 89403
Phone number: 775-246-9094
Education: JD Law from Chicago-Kent Law school, BA Political Science & Economics from Northeastern Illinois State University
Profession: JUDGE
Political experience: Twice elected Judge at the Dayton Justice Court; Twice elected District Attorney. (Lyon County)
Please write a short biography of yourself (This answer may be up to 200
words; you might include such things as birthplace, career, community
involvement, family, etc.): I have been married to Cheri for 37 years, we have three children. We have lived in Lyon County for over 25 years; all our children went to local schools, graduated from Dayton High school and University of Nevada.. I am a charter member of the Kiwanis Club of Dayton, and a life member in VFW post 8660. I am very involved with the community, including; the Christmas shopping spree for disadvantaged youth, scholarships at the local high schools, building the "Welcome to Dayton" park and Rock and many others. I am a U S Marine that served in Viet Nam and was honorably discharged.
Why do you believe voters should select you rather than your opponent as
district court judge? EXPERIENCE- I am the only candidate in this department that has judicial experience; I have been a Judge for over 7 years; I have been elected and re-elected to that position. I am the only candidate in this department that has ever been elected and re-elected as a District Attorney; I was in private practice as an attorney in my own business for over 10 years. I have tried thousands of cases, over a hundred jury trials, and argued over a dozen cases to the Supreme Court. I am qualified under the Supreme Court rules to try Death Penalty cases.
What changes would you make if you were elected? The biggest challenge facing the court system today is access to justice for civil litigants who cannot afford an attorney. I have faced that problem and implemented changes at the Justice Court to help people with the legal documents and instructions to help get them in front of the Judge. This has included a self help kiosk at the Court and putting necessary legal forms on the Courts web site. When elected to the District Court I will implement a self help center at the District Court to help litigants who cannot afford an attorney.
Should judges be given more discretion than allowed by current law in
imposing sentences? Why? For most crimes I believe Nevada's sentencing ranges are appropriate, however every case is unique; I oppose laws that attempt to take a "cookie cutter" approach to sentencing, I oppose those laws that mandate a specific sentence regardless of the facts in the individual case, I support more judicial discretion in those laws.
What criteria would you use for deciding whether to impose or affirm
sentences outside of standard ranges? The nature of the victim, (senior, child etc) The individual conduct of the Defendant in the case, and the criminal history of the Defendant all must be considered in doing justice..
Would the reality of prison overcrowding play a role in how you sentence
criminals? Yes, in my current position I deal daily with the reality of the overcrowding in the Lyon County Jail. As Judges we should not live in an Ivory Tower, but rather must consider the impact to the taxpayers of our decisions. Incarceration costs are a huge drain on our limited public resources. We need to continue to find alternatives to prison for non-violent offenders, so we can afford to lock up those who because of their actions must be removed from society.
What has been your greatest accomplishment in your legal career? The privilege of serving the people first as their District Attorney and now as their Judge.
In your personal life? My great family.
What is your general judicial philosophy? What things would you emphasize if
elected to the bench? Fairness, patience, and the ability to listen, the integrity to make the decision based on the law and the facts of the case.
What else would you like to say to voters about your qualifications and
ideas? My opponent is a nice person, but has done very little to show what kind of a judge he would be, contrast that with my record both as an elected lower court judge and an elected District Attorney, Each time I was elected and overwhelmingly re-elected. You need a Judge with integrity, ability and proven Judicial temperament.