Parraguirre named NV chief justice

CARSON CITY (AP) - Justice Ron Parraguirre (pehr-ah-Geh-ree) will serve as chief justice of the Nevada Supreme Court in 2010, taking over the position now held by Justice James Hardesty.

Parraguirre's judicial career began in 1991 when he won a seat on the Las Vegas Municipal Court. He was re-elected twice and served until 1999, when he was appointed to the Clark County District Court bench by former Gov. Kenny Guinn.

He was elected to the Nevada Supreme Court in 2004.

Under the Nevada Constitution, only justices in the last two years of their current six-year term of office are eligible to be chief justice.

Both Hardesty and Parraguirre are up for re-election in 2010, and both have said they will seek re-election.

Candidate filings for judicial positions statewide open Jan. 1.