DA says judge is biased, should be removed from all criminal cases

The Clark County district attorney’s office is seeking to remove a District Court judge from all criminal cases involving the office, alleging the judge is biased against prosecutors. The motion, filed Wednesday and signed by Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson, targets District Judge Erika Ballou, accusing her of failing to follow orders from the Nevada Supreme Court. Ballou had prisoner Mia Christman released from custody before the completion of her sentence, and then failed to remand Christman back into custody when the Supreme Court overturned her decision.

The district attorney’s office has since filed an ethics complaint with the Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline over how she handled Christman’s case. “The status quo in which Judge Ballou is permitted to preside over all criminal matters involving the District Attorney’s office, while a judicial ethics complaint filed by the District Attorney’s office is pending, is an untenable situation that should be addressed by the Eighth Judicial District Court,” prosecutors wrote in the motion. District Court spokeswoman Mary Ann Price said Ballou was not available for comment on Thursday.

Wolfson wrote that Ballou’s behaviour was “egregious,” and that as a result of the ethics complaint, she could be removed from office. “In short, allowing Judge Ballou to remain handling criminal matters involving the State while this judicial ethics complaint is pending, would subject the Eighth Judicial .