Take That Judge Kathleen Sigurdson
City of Reno: Oscar Delgado, gone. Neoma Jardon, gone. Doug Thornley, gone. Devon Reese is the last standing.
The case that was supposed to be heard in April 2024 regarding a lawsuit, filed by This Is Reno, attempting to gain access to a less redacted sheriff’s report, sheriff’s body cam, etc. regarding former Reno City Manager Doug Thornley’s domestic incident call at his home on Skyline Blvd. in 2023 came to a screeching halt.
Washoe County Second Judicial District Court Judge, Department 10, Judge Kathleen Sigurdson decided to refuse Our Nevada Judges from covering the hearing, for the lawsuit filed by This Is Reno. Sigurdson didn’t give a reason to deny the press from her courtroom. Which lead Our Nevada Judges to petition the Nevada Supreme Court to order Sigurdson to follow the law and allow media coverage of court hearings.
Now remember Judge Sigurdson has some of the lowest ratings for the past two years as part of the Washoe County Bar Association Annual Judicial Survey. Also, if you take a gander at Judge Sigurdson’s 2020 Nevada Secretary of State Contribution and Expense reports anyone who completed 2nd Grade math can see much of Sigurdson’s contributions came from the owners of the Grand Sierra Resort, and people they do business with.
So, when did Judge Sigurdson decide to get so high and mighty with the press?
Per this Nevada Supreme Court Order Granting Petition for a Writ of Mandamus the Supreme’s are advising Judge Sigurdson to reconsider her April 2024 denial of media coverage of her courtroom as of August 14th.
This Is Reno wrote, “But Sigurdson’s media coverage denial had no analysis or reason for barring Falconi from covering This Is Reno’s public records court hearing.”
Our Nevada Judges website monitors judges, whether their rulings are upheld or overturned and media coverage of cases. They said, “Of the non-family court judges, Sigurdson has the highest error rate at 25%.”
Sigurdson’s court is ploddish. Nothing gets done quickly in Department 10. In this case, we’ve all been waiting five months for a decison. After ten days Picon plans to have our lawyers start to pepper Chief Judge Lynne Jones, Department 6 and the Clerk of the Court and Court Administrator Alicia Lerud if there is no activity from Department 10 regarding this case.
Look, you’ve got to admit it’s an interesting ‘occurrence’ Reno’s Acting City Manager Jackie Bryant came to the City of Reno from the Second Judicial District Court, where she was the Clerk of Court and Court Administrator for years, wonder if Thornley asked for any advice, tips, suggestions after his domestic incident?
We need folks to ponder, a City Manager who resigns after the This Is Reno hearing is scheduled in April (Thornley), could have been advised by the former Clerk of the Court a City of Reno Assistant City Manager and now acting Interim City Manager (Bryant), in a judges court who has deep connections with local high power casino owners (Sigurdson) who rejected media in her courtroom.
One could wonder if this has been a six month ‘stall’ for all the key players to get their “ducks in a row,” which rhymes with “Sigurdson has to go.”