Ex-judge to apply for spot created by his removal

(AP) - A former family court judge who was removed from the bench by a Nevada Supreme Court order has applied to fill the vacancy.

Robert Teuton was removed in November because his temporary appointment had expired months earlier.

The 56-year-old Teuton and 47-year-old Las Vegas lawyer Michele Mercer are the only applicants to the Commission on Judicial Selection.

The two will be interviewed in February and Gov. Jim Gibbons will appoint one to fill the Clark County Family Court post.

Gibbons appointed Teuton to the seat in August 2008 to fill the remainder of a retiring judge's term. But the Supreme Court ruled Nov. 12 that Teuton should have run for the seat in the November 2008 election.

Election officials didn't put the race for the seat on the ballot that year.